Tragedy
by XxWarriorCatsxX
Summary: Lilykit's life is stained with tragedy, and she isn't ready to face what's coming her way... Soon Lightningkit is born, and she faces challenges harder than most. Can she overcome the tragedies in her life, and face the darkness coming her way?
1. Chapter 1

Warriors: Tragedy Chapter 1

**I don't own anything BTW.**

Chapter 1 **( sorry guys this is going to be short. Very.)**

Lilykit peered from the nursery, her littermates Brightkit and Olivekit tumbling around her. Olivekit was a black she-cat with green eyes, Lilykit a cream tabby she-cat with blue eyes, and Brightkit a white she-cat with amber eyes. Lilykit had been named in honor of the now dead Lilypaw, Sorreltail's kit and Seedsplash's sister. Their mother, Cinderheart, was trying to calm the wailing Olivekit, who's paw had been struck by a bramble. "Hush, my sweet, your paw is fine," she soothed, her soft, gentle voice calming Olivekit almost instantly. Lionblaze, their father, appeared from the entranceway. "Is everything ok?" he asked, concern written in his eyes. "Yes," Cinderheart snorted, rolling her clear blue eyes. "Olivekit just got a scratch from a bramble. But she's ok." "Does she have to go to Jayfeather or Leafpool?" Lionblaze pressed. "No!" Olivekit squeaked. "Jayfeather's scary!" Cnderheart fixed Olivekit with a hard stare. "You know Jayfeather doesn't mean to scare you, and he's your kin!" Olivekit rolled her tiny green eyes. "Fine," she muttered. Lilykit opened her mouth to say something, but Brightkit charged and bowled her over. "Oof!" she huffed, as the breath was knocked from her body. Brightkit was standing over her triumphantly. _Let's see how triumphant you'll be after this! _Lilykit thought, jumping up and surprising Brightkit by pinning her to the ground, one paw on her chest and one on her stomach. "Ha, I can still pin you down!" Lilykit exclaimed triumphantly. Brightkit got up and shook her dusty pelt. Olivekit looked at Cinderheart and asked, "Can we go into the forest? We're almost apprentices!" Cinderheart fixed her with a hard blue stare. "_Almost_ isn't now!" Lilykit's tail drooped with disappointment. "But Frostflight's kits were allowed to go out into the camp the moment they opened their eyes!" Lilykit complained. Cinderheart sighed. "Not now, my sweet. When you're an apprentice you may go with your mentor."** Really random ending... Whatever!**


	2. Chapter 2

p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"Chapter 2/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"strongOnce again, going to be short. don't worry, my 4th chapter is longish.strong/span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"Squirrelstar's mew echoed around the camp as she called the words: "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather below Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Lilykit and Olivekit bundled out of the nursery, Brightkit tumbling after them. Cinderheart sent them off to sit at the foot of Highledge with a few more licks. "You'll have to look your best! After all, you're going to be apprentices!" she called after her already scrambling away kits. Lilykit rolled her eyes. "Why does Cinderheart have to worry so much? Lionblaze doesn't care about how we look!" she snorted. Squirrelstar looked at the three kits. "We are gathered around to witness the naming of three new apprentices. Lilykit, step forward," Squirrelstar said in a clear and strong voice. Lilykit, pushed by her littermates, stepped up, gazing wide eyed at the ThunderClan leader. "Lilykit, until you earn you're warrior name, you will be known as Lilypaw. Your mentor will be Silverstorm." Lilypaw's eyes widened even more. She was going to be mentored by one of ThunderClan's biggest heroes! Lilypaw touched noses with her new mentor, and sat next to her. She turned and gazed at Cinderheart and Lionblaze, who looked as though they would burst with pride. Lionblaze grinned as he spotted Lilypaw. Squirrelstar said the same to the now Olivepaw and Brightpaw, but Olivepaw's mentor was Flametail and Brightpaw's Stormheart. After the meeting, Silverstorm took Lilypaw out with Brightpaw and Stormheart to explore the terrirory, and mark borders. Lilypaw couldn't believe how big it was! They went to the ShadowClan border first. Lilypaw scented the air, and tasted two fowl stenches. "What do you smell?" Stormheart asked Brightpaw. "Just a fowl stench," she mewed, wrinkling her nose. Silverstorm tasted the air. "Fox! And it's fresh!" she exclaimed, her blue eyes wide. "Yes, my first real battle!" Brightpaw exclaimed. "There's no time to get help," Stormheart observed, Lilypaw whipped around and saw a red-brown pelt between the oaks. "Thanks for the information," Silverstorm meowed dryly. Stormheart shrugged, but unsheathed his claws and bared his teeth in a low growl. The fox appeared a moment later, its black beady eyes glittering with hatred and fury. Lilypaw's heart missed a beat. The fox was emhugeem. And though a bit underfed, its muscles still rippled beneath its loose and dull pelt. Brightpaw's teeth were bared and her claws were glinting in the sunlight./span/p  
>p class="MsoNormal" p  
>p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"strongMUAHAHAHAHA CLIFF HANGER! :3 Don't worry my third chapter will be longer XD. strong/span/p 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Lilypaw unsheathed her claws and snarled at the red fox, even though she was shivering with fear. The fox lunged at Silverstorm, but the silver tabby's fighting skills were sharp. She batted the fox away with a hefty swipe of her claws. The fox howled in anger, and instead lunged at Brightpaw. The fox sunk its teeth into Brightpaw's throat, and Brightpaw's shrieks and flailing paws became weaker and more unsteady. Lilypaw was frozen with horror, her paws seeming rooted to the ground while her sister's life was ebbing away. Stormheart lunged for the fox, only to be kicked away by its powerful hind-paws. Silverstorm hissed and knocked the fox over, its grip on Brightpaw's throat loosening. Lilypaw's mind snapped back to reality, and she rushed to Brightpaw's side. "Brightpaw, get up, you're going to be ok. We're going to take you to Leafpool, and she'll fix you up." But her attempts to get Brightpaw to her paws were in vain; for Brightpaw's eyes were glazing over, all the life that had ever been in them was gone. "No…" Lilypaw moaned, her voice echoing around the forest. Lilypaw helped carry Brightpaw back to camp half-heartedly, her tail leaving marks in the undergrowth. Olivepaw and Cinderheart rushed to greet her, only to stop in shock when they saw Brightpaw. "Oh no… Brightpaw!" Olivepaw wailed, flinging herself at the limp figure of Brightpaw. Lilypaw followed, her head and tail drooping. She padded over to Olivepaw and rested her tail-tip on her shoulder. To her surprise, Olivepaw shouldered it away, whipped around and faced her, and snarled: "It's your fault she died! If you had been quicker, you could've saved her! It won't surprise me if you were kicked out of ThunderClan." Her words sliced through Lilypaw, and she stood there, mouth agape, but slowly recovered from the shock. _Being banished is a bit much isn't it? And, not even Stormheart or Silverstorm could save her. What's the chance that I could have?_ She thought silently. "Don't worry," her mother's voice sounded behind her. Lilypaw turned around. "She's just shocked. She'll get over it." Cinderheart assured. Lilypaw wasn't convinced. Suddenly, she felt fury rise in her throat. "I don't care if she's mad at me," she snapped, causing Cinderheart to step back in surprise. "She hates me now. What's the point? You know she holds grudges longer than _anyone_." Lilypaw meowed bitterly. "That was one time, she'll have to understand that things like this happen, and no one can do anything about it." Cinderheart murmured and sat down next to Brightpaw to grieve. Lionblaze appeared a moment later, only to stop as he saw Brightpaw. He ran over to Cinderheart, listening in horror as Cinderheart explained what had happened, as Silverstorm probably told her. Lilypaw padded into the apprentices den, only to back out again once she saw Olivepaw. Instead, she went out into the forest to gather some moss, not even bothering to tell Silverstorm. Once out in the forest, she let the fresh smells of undergrowth and prey to wash over her, letting the smell of rain and dirt soothe her senses. She then padded towards a tree covered with fresh moss, and clawed clump after clump off, making sure that there was no dirt in it. Lilypaw gathered the moss, some in her jaws and some under her chin. (How I think it was described in Bluestar's Prophecy.) Lilypaw clambered back over the occasional rocks and stones to camp, dropping the moss at the entrance and running back out for bracken. Lilypaw gathered the bracken for lining nests quickly, and scampered back to camp. _I'm never going to want to do this again,_ she thought. Rolling the moss and bracken over to the elder's den, she dropped it at the entrance. "Finally, someone decides to give us clean moss," one of the elders, Thornclaw, muttered. He was the only elders left after Graystripe, Purdy, Brackenfur, and Sandstorm died. Lilypaw silently switched the clean moss with the old moss, tossing any thorns out of the way. When she was finished, she tiredly padded to the fresh-kill pile and chose a plump squirrel for herself. She chewed bad-temperedly, muttering complaints whenever someone stepped on her tail, which was lying straight out behind her. Lilypaw padded into the apprentices den, making a nest with her left over moss and bracken. She made sure it was far away from Olivepaw. Lilypaw padded around on her moss for a few moments, then settled down on the moss, blackness seeming to drown her as soon as she lay down.

Ok, this wasn't as long as I planned.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The cold light of morning filtered into the apprentices den, casting a white glow into the nests. Arching her back in a long stretch, Lilypaw yawned. She had never slept that good in two moons, since Olivepaw's coldness towards her never seemed to ease. Yet finally, she forgave her, a bit begrudgingly, but forgiveness is forgiveness, right? Lilypaw decided she would ask Olivepaw to go hunting with her when she woke. Silverstorm was having Flametail's kits, so she couldn't train Lilypaw. Instead, Stormheart, who had no apprentice since the death of Brightpaw, took over Lilypaw's training. Lilypaw asked Stormheart if she could go hunting with Olivepaw later, and Stormheart had agreed, since Flametail was on sun-high patrol. Lilypaw woke Olivepaw, getting impatient with her laziness. "Wha…?" Olivepaw muttered, rolling onto her back as Lilypaw butted her shoulder. "We're going hunting, lazy bones!" Lilypaw hissed, her tail twitching irritably. "Ok, ok, I'm up!" Olivepaw groaned, as though just the thought of getting up hurt. Lilypaw rolled her eyes. "Really?" she snorted. Olivepaw got to her paws. "Sorry…" Cloverpaw, one of the newest apprentices from Dovewing and Bumblestripe's litter, stirred in her nest. "What's all the racket about?" she mumbled, her pale brown tail twitching irritably. "Lazybones here wouldn't get up," Lilypaw explained. "Hey!" Olivepaw protested. "I'm not lazy!" she swatted Lilypaw's ear. "Ok let's go hunting now…" Lilypaw muttered. Olivepaw's ears perked and her tail stuck straight out at that. "I love hunting!" she exclaimed. "Glad you're finally awake," Lilypaw laughed. Olivepaw ran out of the apprentices den, her black tail flowing behind her. Lilypaw chased after her. "Wait up!" she called, her paws throwing up puffs of dust and dirt. Olivepaw slowed down so Lilypaw could catch up. Lilypaw lifted her muzzle to scent the air. "Mouse… and a hint of vole," Lilypaw declared. "I'll get the mouse," Olivepaw mewed, padding away towards the scent. Lilypaw shrugged and followed the vole scent. Suddenly, she stopped dead. "Olivepaw?" she called, beginning to panic. The scent of fox and badger had covered the scents of vole. "Olivepaw!" she called again. Moments later, Olivepaw appeared with the mouse dangling from her jaws. "What? I heard you calling, so I came over." Olivepaw meowed impatiently. "Sniff the air…" Lilypaw murmured. Two low growls sounded the air. "Run!" Lilypaw cried. "There's no time!" Olivepaw protested. "Oh yes there is! We can't face them alone!" Lilypaw hissed, her fur bristling with terror. "We have to! If we defeat them, we might just earn our warrior names!" Olivepaw hissed back. "And what if we don't defeat them?" Lilypaw shot back. "Well then we're doomed." Olivepaw meowed. Before Lilypaw could reply, a loud roar broke the air. Lilypaw turned, but she was too late. She felt massive paws slam into her foreleg, and blackness clouded her eyes before she could even feel the pain.

"Lilypaw, Lilypaw!" a paw nudged her. Lilypaw opened her eyes and winced as she moved her foreleg. Suddenly she remembered everything; the badger and fox scent, the slam of strong paws into her leg. "Is Olivepaw ok?" she gasped through the throbbing pain of her leg. "I'm fine," a relieved voice answered. Lilypaw looked up to see Olivepaw, her mother, Cinderheart, Lionblaze, Cloverpaw, Cheetahpaw, another of Dovewing and Bumblestripe's litter, and the medicine cat Jayfeather looking down at her. Jayfeather sighed. "Finally, you're awake." He turned to the others. "I need space to heal her leg, go worry outside, will you?" he snapped. Lilypaw wasn't surprised, Jayfeather was known for his short temper and constant irritableness. Leafpool came in with some wet moss a moment later. Leafpool was the elderly brown tabby she-cat. She had fallen in love with the WindClan Crowstar (Crowfeather for those who haven't guessed already :P), which was now the WindClan leader. She had had his kits, Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Hollyleaf, who Lilypaw had only ever heard about in stories. Leafpool was also the sister of the ThunderClan leader, Squirrelstar, and even though Leafpool's past was warrior-code-breaking, they still were closer than the hairs on a voles pelt. Leafpool dropped the moss next to Lilypaw, who lapped at it gratefully. Jayfeather muttered, "This might hurt a bit…" and before Lilypaw knew what was happening, she felt a painful snap in her leg. Her leg felt normal now, and the throbbing from earlier was easing. Lilypaw was just glad that she hadn't ended up like Briarlight, a senior warrior, who had lost the use of her hind-legs. "You can go see your friends," Leafpool mewed gently, gesturing to an anxious Cinderheart, who was pacing back and forth. Cinderheart stopped when she saw Lilypaw, and covered her ears with licks. Lilypaw pulled away and rubbed the tips of her ears. "I'm not a kit anymore," she exclaimed indignantly. Olivepaw practically tackled her and hissed, "You scared me to death!" Lilypaw pushed her off. Cheetahpaw came next, and murmured, "Me and Cloverpaw thought you were dead!" Now it was Lionblaze's turn. "Don't you ever do that again, you could've been killed," Lilypaw rolled her eyes. "_Someone_ refused to get Squirrelstar to come." She complained, looking pointedly at Olivepaw. "Uh… sorry," Olivepaw apologized. "May all cat's old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Squirrelstar's yowl interrupted their talk. Lilypaw scurried to Highledge and sat next to Olivepaw and Cheetahpaw. "Today we are here to witness the ceremony of the naming of two new warriors." She began. "Olivepaw, Lilypaw, come here." Lilypaw, startled, got to her paws slowly, then padded over to Squirrelstar with Olivepaw. "You two were very brave to face a badger and a fox, which thanks to Blossomfall, Lionblaze, Amberflower and Foxleap were chased away, even though I would have recommended for you to come get a few warriors, instead of risked injuries-or worse, death, but anyway, since you were so brave I don't think there will be any other time more fitting than now to give you your warrior names. Olivepaw, with the powers of StarClan, I give you you're warrior name. From this day on, you will be known as Oliveheart. We honor you're bravery and courage." Squirrelstar touched her nose to Oliveheart's head, and Oliveheart licked her shoulder in return. "Lilypaw, with the powers of StarClan, I give you you're warrior name. From this day on, you will be known as Lilybreeze. We honor you're bravery and loyalty." Squirrelstar touched Lilybreeze's forehead, and Lilybreeze, copying Oliveheart, licked her shoulder. "Oliveheart, Lilybreeze!" cheers erupted from the Clan watching below. Cinderheart looked both surprised and happy, and leaned against Lionblaze, who had his chest puffed out in pride. Cheetahpaw and Cloverpaw watched enviously, yet still cheered their names happily. After the ceremony, Lilybreeze and Oliveheart padded into the warriors den, hoping for a nap before their vigil. "We made you're nests over here," Frostflight, a senior warrior, mewed, waving her tail towards two fluffy looking moss beds near the edge of the den. Lilybreeze yawned and curled up in the soft moss. "Sleep well, Olive_heart_," she mewed, relishing the feeling of using her sister's warrior name. "You too, Lily_breeze_," Oliveheart replied sleepily. _If only Brightpaw were here too… _Lilybreeze thought silently, wondering what her name would've been.

Lilybreeze woke to paws ndging her flank. "Get up! It's time for our vigil," Oliveheart hissed in her ear. "I'm up, I'm up," Lilybreeze groaned, getting to her paws groggily. Stormheart and Flametail led them outside. "Just sit and don't talk the whole night, and that's pretty much all you need to know." Flametail told them. And so they sat… and sat… and sat…

Yay! That was my longest chapter yet! Anyway, review is luv!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**BTW guys, I accidently named Lilybreeze Lilybreeze instead of Lilyheart, and accidently named Oliveheart Oliveheart instead of Olivebreeze. Sorry!**

**And for Chapter 2, there is this weird thingy at the top and bottom.**

_Two moons later… (Cloverpaw is a warrior, Clovertail, and so is Cheetahpaw, who is now Cheetahpelt.)_

Lilyheart pushed Olivebreeze, heavy with Snaketooth's kits, into the nursery. Lilyheart never liked Snaketooth; there was something strange about the tortoiseshell-and-black tom. Lilyheart pushed away the thought and tried to be happy for Olivebreeze, but it was hard. Olivebreeze let out a groan of agony, and writhed in pain. Lilyheart, Clovertail, and Leafpool tried to calm her. The other queens, Mistcloud and Silverstorm, meowed: "Olivebreeze, don't worry. It'll soon be all over," "I'm trying not to worry!" she gasped between spasms of pain. Leafpool put her paws on Olivebreeze's stomach, trying to figure out when the kits would come. Finally, a kit popped out. And another, and Olivebreeze finally calmed. "Jayfeather," Leafpool called. "Fetch me some borage and water-soaked-moss." Jayfeather poked his head out of the medicine den and nodded, vanishing back into the den. He came out a moment later with borage leaves and wet moss. "Eat the borage leaves then drink," he instructed, dropping the leaves and wet moss down in front of her. Olivebreeze obeyed silently. Lilyheart heard a rustle at the foot of the nursery, and looked up. It was Snaketooth. Lilyheart looked back down again. Snaketooth greeted Olivebreeze with a lick on the ear. Olivebreeze murmured, "What should we name them?" Snaketooth looked at the kits, a tortoiseshell she-cat and dark gray tom. "How about the tom as Duskkit, and the she-cat as Maplekit?" Olivebreeze nodded.

_Another six moons later…_

Olivebreeze was finally out of the nursery, her kits now Maplepaw and Duskpaw. But now Lilyheart was in the nursery. She had had three kits the day before. Bubblekit, a gray tom with green eyes, like Lilyheart's mate Stormleaf, Lightningkit, a pale ginger she-cat with dark gray almost lightning-like markings and blue eyes, and Featherkit, a silver tabby she-cat with hazel eyes. Today Stormleaf had promised to visit his kits after a dawn patrol. Lilyheart licked a patch of matted fur on Flowerkits forehead, then gathered them all around her paws. "When is Stormleaf coming?" Bubblekit asked excitedly. Lilyheart sniffed the air. "Right now," she replied. "Yay!" the kits chorused. Lilyheart stared amusingly down at her kits. Stormleaf padded in a moment later, dropping a plump squirrel and a water vole at the fresh-kill pile, then turning to the nursery. Featherkit and Lightningkit tensed as though trying to hide their excitement. But before Stormleaf reached the nursery, another patrol, the sun-high patrol of Darkstorm, Frostflight, Bumblestripe and Squirrelstar appeared. Only Squirrelstar was dangling lifelessly from Bumblestripe and Frostflight's jaws. Lilyheart got up and pelted towards them. "What happened?" she gasped. Leafpool, alerted by the call, rushed towards them. Her jaw dropped at the sight of her lifeless sister. "Did she lose a life?" Leafpool asked immediately. "Yes, struck down by the fox we chased away moons ago, but we chased it off again." Darkstorm replied grimly. "That was her last…" Leafpool murmured. By then every cat had heard the commotion and was peering at them. Most of them went to comfort Leafpool, knowing how close they had been. Others hung back, murmuring, "Poor Leafpool, everybody knows they were so close,"

After burying Squirrelstar the next day, Leafpool still stayed where Squirrelstar was buried, still grieving. Lionblaze, now Lionstar, had gone to the Moonpool to receive his nine lives with Leafpool, who probably hoped to see her sister in StarClan. Lilyheart, who had been a friend of Leafpool's, understood how she felt. She and Brightpaw never shared a connection that strong, but she had still been horrified when Brightpaw had been killed.

_Lightningkit's POV _

Lightningkit looked out of the nursery, and saw Leafpool sitting at Squirrelstars grave. Lightningkit was confused why she was so sad. Weren't they just fellow warriors? "Catch!" Lightningkit was interrupted from her thoughts as Featherkit let out the squeal. Heartbeats later, a moss ball was thrown at her. Lightningkit batted it away, and sprang to her paws. Suddenly, the floor began to shake. Lilyheart's ears perked and she scented the air. "Twolegs!" she shrieked, and grabbed Lighningkit by the scruff, flinging her behind a nearby stone. Lightningkit's outstretched paws landed first, but she lost her balance and tumbled over. Trembling, she padded back to the rock and rested her head on her paws, aware that there was something wrong. _Boom!_ Lightningkit poked a head from behind the rock. A monster! No, five monsters! She saw the barely visible shape of Stormleaf throw something towards her, and Lilyheart did the same a moment later. Featherkit and Bubblekit crashed down beside her, and she steadied them with her shoulder. Featherkit sat up and panted, while Bubblekit rolled over on his back sleepily. Lightningkit peered from behind the stone. She could see the Twolegs get out of the monsters belly, and saw them with silver metal sticks with brown tails. Another _Boom!_ Was heard, and Lightningkit saw with horror and terror that Thornclaw the elder was shot down by a tiny bullet that had shot out of the Twoleg's metal sticks. _Boom!_ After _Boom!_ Was heard, and Dovewing, Frostflight, Silverstorm, Flametail, and Leafpool were shot down. Another loud boom, and suddenly Jayfeather was lying on the ground. More booms. Lionstar (Lionstar has nine lives, but the bullet hit his heart and now he's completely in StarClan.) and Cinderheart, Maplekit and Duskkit fell. Lightningheart waited for them to come here, but only saw more chaos. The cats didn't flee; instead the remaining cat's fur bristled at the Twolegs, and their claws slid out. Lightningkit's father, Stormleaf, leaped at a nearby Twoleg with his claws outstretched. The Twoleg fired, and hit Stormleaf directly in the chest with the round metal ball. Lightningkit gasped. "Stormleaf!" Featherkit and Bubblekit wailed, they both collapsed on the floor with grief. "He'll get up. I bet they are all just unconscious!" Bubblekit suddenly squeaked, getting up again. Lightningkit didn't want to hurt him, so she didn't say that she could tell they were dead. She fought back her grief, knowing that Stormleaf was strong and he at least would get up. Lilyheart was still standing, bending over Stormleaf in her grief. The Twoleg's left, but Lightningkit noticed them throw in some branches lighted with… fire! Lightningkit waited for Olivebreeze, Lilyheart, Stormleaf, Amberflower, Crystalnose, and Darkstorm come out of the flames. Lightningkit had seen all the other cats unconscious, so she had a feeling they would come later. But nothing and no one came. So she waited. And the fire seemed to come closer every second. Finally, Bubblekit and Featherkit couldn't wait any longer they flung themselves into the fire before Lightningkit could stop them, and she heard two shrill squeals of terror and pain, and two light thuds. She heard Lilyheart's faint voice in the distance. "My kits!" and "Where's Darkstorm?" then heard several louder thuds. Lightningkit only then realized they were all dead. "No!" she wailed. They should have came back all in one piece, but they didn't. They _died_. Lightningkit fled deeper into the forest, and until tit started to rain did she stop. Her fur was plastered to her body, and she was shivering in the cold. She ran back to the camp. All the dens were burned down, and dead cats littered the floor. Lightningkit, hardly able to contain her grief now, spotted her kin. She fell onto her knees, and yowled her grief to the sky. She knew she couldn't go to a different Clan, she would never fit in, and would never be a true cat of that Clan. All that was left to do was become a loner. Then she spotted something strange on the ground besides the bodies of her Clanmates. A shining silver disk-like Twoleg thing, with the symbol of a tiger, and smaller ones she couldn't read around it: "Wild Cat Exterminators". She sniffed it. Sure enough, it smelled of Twolegs. Lightningkit didn't care. All she knew was that the Twolegs destroyed her Clan, and she would have her revenge. But first, she had to know who the Twolegs that destroyed her Clan were. She picked up the silver disk with her tail, and realized it was small enough to fit in a tuft of extra fluffy fur behind her ear. So she stuffed it in. If she saw the same strange symbols, she would know who they were. She trudged away, weighed down by her grief, and at the same time planning her vengeance on those Twolegs. Lightningkit trudged through the forest, weighed down by her grief and fury. She was hungry and tired, and didn't even know what part of ThunderClan territory she was on. Finally, she collapsed with hunger and exhaustion. Lightningkit slept terribly, with the cold rain pelting her fur, and she her dream was the horrifying scene, just playing over and over again

_One moon after the destruction of ThunderClan_

Lightningkit was now a moon old, and was far away from her Clan. She sniffed the air for prey, as she had learned to smell and hunt herself. She could smell mouse, but there was a stronger scent: cat. Her fur bristled with both excitement and fear; was this cat a good cat, or an enemy? With all her thoughts racing through her mind, she didn't notice the paw steps coming towards her. "Hello," it was the voice of a young she-cat, probably the same age as her. Lightningkit looked up. "Hi," she mewed warily. "Don't worry, I don't bite!" the she-cat joked with the same humor that reminded Lightningkit painfully of Featherkit. "My name is Lightningkit, and I was born in ThunderClan," Lightningkit murmured, deciding this cat was probably not an enemy. "Mine's Cheetahkit, I'm one moon old and born in SkyClan!" Cheetahkit chirped. "I'm also one moon!" Lightningkit answered, she liked this cat. "Well, I'm looking for a new Clan. Why don't we travel together?" Cheetahkit suggested. "I guess," Lightningkit shrugged. So Lightningkit and Cheetahkit set out together, after knowing each other for less than a day.

_1 hour later…_

Cheetahkit and Lightningkit later found a small cave in the middle of a dark and damp forest. It didn't smell of any Clan, just of rain and leaves. "I'll go search for some prey, hunting can't be that much harder than catching moss-balls!" Cheetahkit meowed, flicking her tail over towards the entrance of the cave. "Ok, I'll check out the cave, and see if I can find any moss." Lightningkit mewed, and padded deeper into the cave. "Get out of here you mangy old cat!" came a tiny hiss. Tiny-thorn sharp claws dug into Lightningkit's fur. Lightningkit, still bearing scars and burns from the fire, collapsed, she didn't bother to fight back because this cat was that was clinging onto her was no bigger than a kit. Lightningkit batted her off, but her wounds were reopening. Lightningkit padded out of the den, fuming, but knew she would lose a fight with her wounds. She limped around, searching for the friendly face of Cheetahkit, but instead bumped into another brown and darker brown kit. "I saw you give up like that," the kit sneered. "Weakling!" she taunted, her claws sliding out. "By the way, my name is Seakit." she said, kind of randomly. "And I'm Lightningkit," Lightningkit replied in a low growl. Lightningkit unsheathed her claws and lunged at Seakit. She pinned her easily, and dug her claws into Seakit's throat. Seakit pushed her off, then stopped before they could continue fighting. "Aww, you guys are fighting because someone's too pretty!" a she-kit mewled behind them. Lightningkit whipped around. "Pretty?" she spat. "Yes," the kit snorted. "Oh by the way," the new kit mewed, as if nothing had just happened between them. "I'm Darkkit," she introduced herself. Seakit let out a small hiss, then padded away. Lightningkit made her way back to the cave. The kit in the cave peered out. "I got you some herbs, you know, for the wounds I caused. And my name is Moonkit, and you're welcome." She meowed. _That cat can talk!_ Lightningkit thought. "I don't need _your_ help, and you didn't cause these wounds, I already had them, you just reopened them." Lightningkit spat. "You want to fight for this cave? 'Cause I would win, wounds or no wounds." Moonkit scoffed. "You want to bet?" Lightningkit asked, eyes narrowing into slits. "Oh, I'd love to." responded Moonkit. "Whoa, what's going on?" Lightningkit recognized Cheetahkit's muffled voice. She had a squirrel and a water vole hanging from her jaws. Quick as a mouse, Moonkit snatched the water vole and ate it in two hungry gulps. Lightningkit was outraged. How dare Moonkit steal their prey? Cheetahkit seemed furious, too. "I got that for me and Lightningkit!" Cheetahkit snarled. "Oops, too late," Moonkit snorted. Cheetahkit and Lightningkit lunged at her, and Moonkit let out a squeal. Lightningkit raked her claws down Moonkit's spine, while Cheetahkit sliced at her ears. Moonkit fled, scared to death. Lightningkit stalked off in search of more prey. She scented the air. _Squirrel_, she thought, remembering when her father Stormleaf had taken one to her. She crept towards the smell, and soon enough, she had a squirrel hanging limp from her jaws. Cheetahkit was right; prey was no harder to catch then a moss ball. Lightningkit returned to the cave. She dropped the squirrel down, and ate it in four ravenous gulps. Cheetahkit had already made to moss nests and had eaten the mouse. "Hey," Lightningkit nearly jumped out of her fur when she heard the voice coming from outside. It was Seakit. "What do you want?" Lightningkit hissed, back arched and teeth bared; "Look, I'm sorry about fighting you before, but I need somewhere to stay." Her green eyes were pleading, and Lightningkit couldn't help pitying this kit. "Fine," Cheetahkit and Lightningkit mewed together. "Thanks, and by the way, my Clan was SeaClan, but it was destroyed by a herd of buffalo. I was the only one to survive, since I was well hidden before the buffalo stepped on the rest of my Clan." She growled. Cheetahkit let out a sigh. "I was from SkyClan, but the rest of my Clan was destroyed by a pack of wolves, me and my sister Frostkit lived, but I lost Frostkit in the chaos." "Mine was destroyed by Twolegs, then the rest was destroyed by a fire." Lightningkit explained.

_Morning… (Seakit decided to travel with Cheetahkit and Lightningkit.)_

Golden rays of sunlight filtered into the tiny cave. Lightningkit woke up and nudged Cheetahkit, who groaned before stretching then getting to her paws. Seakit, however, was a different story. She seemed to sleep through ANYTHING. Eventually, Lightningkit decided to get some prey, then wave it in front of Seakit's nose. It worked. They set of as soon as they ate. Suddenly, Cheetahkit stopped. "I smell… Frostkit!" Cheetahkit exclaimed, waving her tail wildly. Lightningkit couldn't wait to meet her, hopefully she was easy to get along with like Cheetahkit. "Wait, I smell another cat, but I don't know who it is," Cheetahkit mewed, looking rather puzzled. A heartbeat later, a light gray she-cat with pale blue eyes, and darker gray markings burst from the bushes. She bowled into Cheetahkit. "Frostkit! Get off!" Cheetahkit chirped affectionately. Lightningkit remembered when she, Bubblekit, and Featherkit would play like that. Her tail must have drooped, because Seakit was standing next to her a moment later, concern glimmering in her eyes. "What's up?" she asked. "Just remembering dead littermates," Lightningkit meowed bitterly. "You're not the only one," Seakit said softly. Lightningkit shrugged and turned to Cheetahkit and Frostkit. "Hi, I'm Lightningkit, and this is Seakit, we've heard a lot about you," Lightningkit mewed. Frostkit backed away shyly, then stepped forward. "I'm Frostkit." She said quietly. "Pearlkit, Silverkit, you guys can come out," Frostkit called into the bushes. Another cat stepped out. She was white and had one light gray paw, with dark green eyes. A pretty silver tabby followed, with deep blue eyes that shone with the stars. "I'm Pearlkit, I have been traveling with Frostkit ever since ShadowClan fell." Pearlkit mewed. "You're from ShadowClan?" Lightningkit asked. "I'm from ThunderClan," Lightningkit meowed. "It seems a lot of Clans have fallen," Seakit murmured. "I'm Silverkit, born in RiverClan, I was chased out by Poisonheart, who is a very, very cruel cat." Silverkit mewed darkly. "Well, how about we travel together?" Lightningkit suggested. "Sounds good to me," the newcomers chorused.

_Six moons later… Everyone is at least six moons, and named themselves the first part of their name with 'paw._

Lightningpaw, Cheetahpaw, Seapaw, Frostpaw, Silverpaw and Pearlpaw slept peacefully in a small dip in the earth, sheltered by a few brambles. Four mysterious cats slipped through the undergrowth, the only signs of their presence were a few dark shadows. "These cats seem like good recruits," a she-cats voice growled. "Which cats do you think would be good for DarkClan, Sunnystar?" the voice of a tom meowed. Sunnystar, the she-cat who had first spoken, growled: "This one," she flicked her tail at Seakit. "She has the jaws of a DarkClan cat, Darkstar." "Very well, you no longer owe DarkClan recruits." Darkstar growled, picking up Seakit and padding away. Sunnystar turned to another she-cat, with a white tabby pelt that shone silver in the moonlight. "Take your pick, Icestar." Sunnystar murmured. Icestar dipped her head, then picked Cheetahpaw and Silverpaw up. "You no longer owe us recruits, either." Icestar growled through Silverpaw's fur. (Cheetahpaw was on Icestar's back.) Then the last cat stepped forwards. He had a white pelt with gray ear-tips, tail-tip, and paws. He picked Frostpaw up. Sunnystar dipped her head. "You may leave now, Splashstar." Splashstar nodded. "SnowClan thanks you." With that, he left. Only Lightningpaw remained. _Lightningpaw,_ the name flashed through Sunnystar's mind as the moon cast a white glow upon Lightningpaw, giving her lightning-shaped scar a silver color. Sunnystar picked Lightningpaw up, then padded away into the bushes.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: **A New Beginning (I forgot to tell you guys, but this whole story is based on a roleplay I did, but I added some things. OMG, I forgot I forgot that Pearlpaw didn't get dragged away by a random Clan leader, she was supposed to go with Seapaw, which I accidently called Seakit in the last chapter. My bad! And I might have already told you this, but I spelt Tragedy wrong in a few chapters :3.)**

~_Flashback~ _

_Sunnystar felt helpless, her deputy Moonlight was dying, since a hawk had sliced her belly open, and Heartpelt the medicine cat had ran out of cobwebs, and the patrol Sunnystar had sent out for more cobwebs wasn't returning fast enough. Sunnystar now had no choice but to look to her allies, DarkClan, SnowClan, and IceClan. Even though they were allies, Sunnystar had never felt comfortable asking for help. Sunnystar decided she would go to DarkClan, since she knew of Darkstar's secret love for Moonlight, and because she already owed IceClan and SnowClan recruits. She didn't approve, since the warrior code said you couldn't take on a mate from another Clan. But Sunnystar doubted they would take it that far. Right now, it was just a simple love, not a head-over-tail kind of love. Sunnystar raced out of LeafClan camp, and headed towards DarkClan. "Darkstar!" she yowled, charging into their camp. Many cats turned their heads towards her. "Sunnystar," the warriors murmured, greeting their ally uncomfortably. Sunnystar ignored the brief greeting and nearly crashed into a startled Darkstar. "Darkstar, we need some cobwebs, Heartpelt's (Heartpelt was actually a character in the roleplay, don't ask…) supply ran out and our cobweb patrol still hasn't returned," she explained quickly. "Why do you need them?" Darkstar asked, after dipping his head curtly in greeting. "Moonlight," Sunnystar mewed. Darkstar's eyes widened. "Oh no…" he groaned. Darkstar didn't know Sunnystar knew about him and Moonlight, and as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew he had said the wrong thing. "Err… I mean, sure, uh, we can lend you some cobwebs." He stammered. "It's ok, I know," Sunnystar meowed gently. Darkstar's face turned as pink as a Twoleg's. He rushed away to the medicine den, returning quickly with a wad of cobwebs. "Uh, take these to Moonlight," he muttered, whipped around, and hurried back into his den, cursing under his breath. Sunnystar picked the cobwebs up, and headed back to camp. But before she was even halfway out of DarkClan camp, Pebbleclaw, the deputy, padded towards her. "Take the cobwebs, but remember, you owe DarkClan, big time." He growled, his muscles rippling under his sandy gray pelt as he padded away. You get why Sunnystar owes DarkClan now._

_~End Flashback~_

_"__The Clans have fallen, and only the speed of Lightning and Cheetah combined can save them. But beware a dark shadow…" _Lightningpaw woke with a start, and the prophecy rang in her head. "This isn't where we were before…" she muttered, instantly noticing she was surrounded by young apprentices. She padded out of the bramble enclosed den. "I see you have awoken," the voice of a she-cat startled her. Lightningpaw turned, and saw a huge light brown she-cat with darker brown splotches, with eyes as green as the forest. "W-who are you, and what have you done with my friends?" Lightningpaw's claws slid out. "Don't worry, your friends are in other Clans," she mewed. "I'm Sunnystar, and you're with friends. This is LeafClan camp." She added. Lightningpaw was shocked, yet at the same time, she was happy to have finally found a Clan. "I'm Lightningpaw," she mewed. "Come with me, Lightningpaw, I will give you a tour," Sunnystar meowed. Lightningpaw dipped her head and followed. This is the apprentice den. That you were just in, and that's Snowpaw and Darkpaw." She flicked her tail towards a very pale gray she-cat with a white tail-tip and underbelly, and a black tabby tom. Lightningpaw nodded, and as she did, the silver Twoleg disk slid out of her fur. Sunnystar eyed it, and suspicion lit in her eyes. "Are you a kittypet?" she growled. "No," Lightningpaw mewed quietly. "That belongs to Twolegs who destroyed my former Clan, ThunderClan." Lightninpaw murmured, her tail drooping as she remembered the terrifying scene. "I see, and I suppose you are keeping that, in case you see it again." Sunnystar meowed. Lightingpaw nodded, and slipped the disk back into her ear fur. They padded in silence for the rest of the tour, except when Sunnystar showed Lightningpaw a new part of territory. Sunnystar finished showing Lightningpaw around. "Clan meeting," Sunnystar yowled. Lightningpaw followed Sunnystar to Highrock. Sunnystar sat down and wrapped her tail over her paws. Moonlight, the deputy, sat next to her. "Good news, LeafClan!" Sunnystar began. The cats below cheered. Sunnystar raised her tail for silence. "We have a new apprentice upon us," she announced. "Who is it?" Snowpaw asked. "Lightningpaw, stand up. Your mentor will be Russetleaf, and I expect her to pass on the skills and strength of her former mentor, Moonlight." Lightningpaw stood, trying to squash the moths in her belly. Snowpaw let out a snort, then pressed against Darkpaw. _Rude!_ Lightningpaw thought, _perhaps they don't want me here._ None of the cats seemed particularly excited. "Is she a kittypet?" another cat called. Sunnystar glared at the black tom that had thought Lightningpaw was a kittypet. "No, she had a Clan. It was called ThunderClan." Sunnystar growled. Snowpaw stood up. "But that's disloyal!" she hissed, glowering at Lightningpaw. "My Clan was destroyed!" Lightningpaw retorted. "Well, why did you come here? It's clear no cat wants you here!" Snowpaw snarled. Lightningpaw paused. It was true. "Show some respect, Snowpaw!" Sunnystar hissed. "We are lucky to have _any_ recruits at all." Snowpaw snorted again, and pressed even closer to Darkpaw. Lightningpaw rolled her eyes. "Darkpaw is _mine!"_ Snowpaw growled softly to her, no other cat heard. Lightningpaw snorted, "Yeah, like I'm going to start mooning over him," "Clan dismissed!" Sunnystar yowled. Lightningpaw padded to the prey-pile. She picked up a squirrel from the pile and padded towards the apprentices den. Snowpaw stood in front of the entrance, blocking the way. When Snowpaw saw Lightningpaw padding towards her, she whipped around, tail held high, and stomped into the apprentices den. Lightningpaw held back an exasperated hiss. She hardly even knew Darkpaw! Lightningpaw stepped into the apprentices den and sat down in her nest, which was on the left corner of the den. _Strange, I thought mine was in the middle when I came. _Lightningpaw didn't have to guess. She could tell by the way that Snowpaw glowered at her with pure hatred, and the way Snowpaw had a sneer on her face, that Snowpaw had probably moved her nest. Lightningpaw shrugged. She wasn't about to give Snowpaw the reaction she wanted. Instead, she dropped the squirrel on the ground, and gobbled it up in a few ravenous gulps. "Lightningpaw, how could you eat my squirrel!?" Snowpaw suddenly meowed. "I didn't. I got this squirrel myself." Lightningpaw retorted, realizing Darkpaw had padded in, looking uncertain as he looked at Lightningpaw, then Snowpaw. Lightningpaw now knew why Snowpaw had said that. She wanted Darkpaw to ignore Lightningpaw and think she was just an arrogant young she-cat. Darkpaw's nest was between them. "Oh, Darkpaw, why don't you sleep next to me, not near the prey-stealer?" Snowpaw meowed, moving Darkpaw's nest closer to Snowpaw's. Darkpaw looked at Lightningpaw. "Did you really take her prey?" he asked uncertainly. "No," Lightningpaw growled, still glaring at Snowpaw. "Come on, Darkpaw, it's her word over _mine. _Of course _I'm _telling the truth!" Snowpaw mewed in a sugary sweet voice. Lightningpaw rolled her eyes. "I. Don't. Like. Darkpaw." Ligthningpaw hissed. "End of conversation." Darkpaw sighed. "Snowpaw, why are do you hate Lightningpaw so much? You haven't even gotten to know her." "Neither have you!" Snowpaw snarled, then, in the sweetest voice she could manage, Snowpaw added, "Oh well, let's not bicker over a stupid apprentice who doesn't seem to know that she doesn't belong, and that _I _will always be your favorite, right Darkpaw?" Darkpaw gazed at Lightningpaw. "You could at least try to get to know her," he murmured to Snowpaw. Lightningpaw could tell that Snowpaw was seething underneath a mask of innocence. Lightningpaw shrugged away her discomfort; she was being treated like a rogue! Snowpaw wouldn't even try to get to know her better. Snowpaw seemed too afraid that Lightningpaw would fall in love with Darkpaw, which wasn't going to happen. Lightningpaw sighed with frustration. Why couldn't Snowpaw even try? She curled up in her nest, trying to push all uncomfortable thoughts away. Sleep overtook her as soon as her head hit the moss. _"The Clans have fallen, and only the speed of Lightning and Cheetah combined can save them. But beware a dark shadow…" _The prophecy rang in Lightningpaw's dreams. "Lightningpaw, hunting patrol," the voice of Sunnystar aroused her. Lightningpaw blinked her sleep away, and followed Sunnystar, along with some other cats she didn't recognize, and Snowpaw, into the forest. Birds sang in the trees, lighting the forest with music. "Today we will learn how to hunt fish," Sunnystar meowed. "I know how!" Lightningpaw exclaimed, clamping a paw over her mouth when she realized she had interrupted Sunnystar. Snowpaw sighed dramatically. "Oh Lightningpaw, if you can interrupt Sunnystar like that, you won't ever become a true warrior, like us." Snowpaw sniggered. Lightningpaw's pelt burned as the gaze of the warriors in the patrol rested on her. Lightningpaw was both shocked and relieved when she heard an unfamiliar voice. "Why are you hunting in DarkClan territory, Sunnystar?" the voice snarled. "Last time I checked, this was still DarkClan's," he added. Lightningpaw turned to see a bristling black tabby with gray stripes. "Then you have checked wrong," Sunnystar retorted. The dark tabby stepped closer to Sunnystar. "You really want to face our Clan in a battle? We've been allies quite a while, don't think your Clan will be ready to face us." He growled. "Actually," Sunnystar mewed. "I think your cats are the ones who aren't ready, Darkstar." She flicked her tail towards a band of skinny cats behind Darkstar. "You want to bet?" Darkstar growled. "My pleasure," Sunnystar hissed. Lightningpaw unsheathed her claws, ready for a battle. Her fighting skills were sharp, since she, Cheetahpaw, Silverpaw, Frostpaw and Pearlpaw had faced many foxes, badgers, and so on during their time as loners. "Wait, Sunnystar! We've been allies so long. Do we have to fight DarkClan now?" Moonlight, the LeafClan deputy protested, her eyes pleading. "Attack, LeafClan!" Sunnystar yowled, ignoring Moonlight's pleads. Lightningpaw wondered why Moonlight seemed so desperate. She then noticed more LeafClan and DarkClan cats pour into the battle lines, probably alerted by the yowl. Both Clans surged forward, exploding into a screeching, yowling battle. Lightningpaw charged, unnerved, into a massive tom. Lightningpaw didn't recognize his scent, so she guessed he wasn't LeafClan. "You sure you want to take me on?" he growled. "I-" the rest of his sentence was cut short. Lightningpaw had tripped him, pinned him down, and was now clawing furiously at his flank. The massive tom tried to squash her as he rolled, but Lightningpaw was ready. She leaped off him, reared up on her hind-legs, and was aiming ferocious blows at his muzzle with frightening accuracy. He howled in agony as Lightningpaw's claws made contact with his forehead, sending him reeling backwards as the force of the blow knocked him off his paws. Lightningpaw dropped back to all four of her paws, and lunged towards a battle scarred brown she-cat. Lightningpaw recognized the fowl stench of DarkClan, the same scent on the tom she had fought off earlier. She darted under the she-cat, clawed her belly furiously, then darted out the way she had come, satisfaction filling her belly as she saw that the she-cat had turned, expecting her to be on the other side. Lightningpaw bit the she-cats tail furiously, sending the she-cat yowling into the trees. Lightningpaw still hadn't a single scratch. Suddenly, she noticed something white slide under her. Too late, claws scored her belly. Lightningpaw hardly felt any pain, for the white tabby she-cat who was clawing her was a newly made apprentice, and her claws were only thorn-sharp. Lightningpaw knew that the white tabby might have seen her dart under the brown she-cat, then dart out the same way. But she might not have. So Lightningpaw concentrated on feeling the tiny white tabby's claws, if they turned, the tabby was doing the same move Lightningpaw had. If they didn't, the tabby didn't know. Lightningpaw felt her claws turn, and raised a forepaw, ready to claw the small tabby as she slid out. Just like Lightningpaw expected, the tabby's head popped out, looking surprised as Lightningpaw slashed at her muzzle. Lightningpaw reared, and her forepaws came slamming down on the tabby's belly. The white tabby shrieked with pain, then darted away into the trees when Lightningpaw let her go. Then the same huge tom that Lightningpaw had attacked first was under her belly. Knowing his claws would be much sharper and longer, Lightningpaw leaped before the tom could do anything. Lightningpaw came crashing down on the tom's belly forepaws first, satisfaction flooding her as his eyes widened so much that white rings showed. Lightningpaw jumped off, using the tom's belly as a launching pad, which sent him yowling into the trees. Suddenly aware that Snowpaw needed help, Lightningpaw ran towards her. Snowpaw was locked in combat with Darkstar. Darkstar had her pinned and was clawing at her belly, which was gushing blood. Lightningpaw noticed Sunnystar not far away, tussling with a pale ginger she-cat. "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size, you coward?" Lightningpaw yowled, flinging herself onto Darkstar. "What did you call me-" his mew was cut short as Lightningpaw dug her claws into his back, dragging him off Snowpaw. For the first time, Snowpaw looked thankful. "Thanks," she panted, and the two apprentices reared, matching each other blow for blow as they fought Darkstar off. "I can't believe you saved me," Snowpaw breathed, hazel eyes stretched. "I don't know if I'm more surprised with you fighting with me, or the fact that you just said thanks!" Lightningpaw mewed in amusement as Snowpaw shuffled her paws with embarrassment. "We fight well together," Snowpaw mewed, changing he subject. "DarkClan, retreat! There are too many LeafClan cats!" Darkstar yowled. "This is still our territory! And you are no longer our allies!" a LeafClan tom yowled. The battered DarkClan cats staggered back towards their territory.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: **Reunited (and it feels so good X3. BTW, I had no idea until now that Lilypaw (Sorreltail's second litter along with Seedpaw,) is actually the one that lives, and she actually becomes Lilyheart, like in my stories. Seedpaw drowns. Didn't know that. Don't judge. Also, I explained a lot of Twoleg things in normal English, it's just so you don't have to be like, OMG what the heck is that? But for the cats, they don't know what it actually is. The Twoleg "disk" is actually the cap to a beer bottle. And I seriously forgot to add a lot of things. For instance, Lightningpaw also has a ragged scar (like a lightning bolt,) from a hawk attack. BTW I forgot that Lightningfur actually doesn't have lightning-like patterns, she was named Lightningfur because of her pale ginger fur, and later she gets the scar.)**

It had been three moons since the battle with DarkClan, and Icepaw had become Iceclaw, and now it was time for Lightningpaw, Snowpaw, and Darkpaw's assessments. Russetleaf had prodded Lightningpaw in the side, which had woken her, and Lightningpaw had staggered to her paws, bleary with exhaustion. "Your assessment," Russetleaf reminded Lightningpaw, who had jumped with excitement, was now waiting patiently for her mentor to finish eating a vole. "Come on!" Lightningpaw meowed cheerily, tail high. Russetleaf had watched in amusement, whiskers twitching. Now they were in the Training Glade, a glade with a few trees, it was where LeafClan trained, and where apprentices had their assessments. LeafClan did the assessments differently. You would be tested on hunting, but your mentor wouldn't be hiding. You would fight with your mentor, (claws half unsheathed) then you take the warrior code part of the test with Sunnystar, not your mentor. (That was in the roleplay PPL.) "Show me your hunting skills," Russetleaf ordered, sitting down and curling her tail around her paws. Lightningpaw nodded and tasted the air. A hint of mouse; and a stronger scent of vole, Lightningpaw decided to follow the vole scent first. Lightningpaw dropped to a crouch, making sure she and Russetleaf were downwind. She could see the vole now, gray and brown, its tiny paws pattering through the grass. Lightningpaw pulled herself across the soft, fresh grass, making sure not to make a sound. She was close enough now to see the vole's beady eyes. She pounced, claws outstretched, and landed squarely on the vole's back. Before the vole could do anything, Lightningpaw closed her jaws around its neck, killing it instantly. She padded back towards Russetleaf, vole dangling in her jaws. Russetleaf nodded approvingly, and mewed, "See if you can get that mouse, too." Lightningpaw waved her tail, and dropped to a crouch again. The mouse was next to one of the few trees in the glade, busy chewing on a nut. Lightningpaw pulled herself forward quietly, and, timing her pounce, she leaped. Forepaws outstretched, she landed on the mouse's neck, breaking it as she landed. She dropped the mouse at Russetleaf's paws, relieved to see an approving gleam in her mentor's eyes. "Are you ready for the fighting part?" Russetleaf asked, tail swishing over the fragrant grass. Lightningpaw nodded. Russetleaf lunged at her, and pinned Lightningpaw down, and began pummeling her belly. Instinctively, Lightningpaw kicked Russetleaf, and her mentor tumbled off. Lightningpaw jumped to her paws and pinned Russetleaf, clawing her flank gently, making sure not to tear the soft flesh underneath. Lightningpaw clouted an ear with her forepaw, while still clawing her mentor's flank. Russetleaf hissed and rolled over. Lightningpaw was prepared, though, and she leaped off her mentor just in time. Russetleaf growled, then darted up the nearest tree. Lightningpaw, seeing Russetleaf's eyes narrow and muscles tense, shot up the tree after her, slamming into Russetleaf and knocking her off the tree. Russetleaf let out a gasp as she hit the floor. Muscles bunched, Lightningpaw pushed with her hind-paws in a flying leap. She landed squarely on Russetleaf, who was still stunned by the fall. Lightningpaw didn't realize that Russetleaf, who was lying limp underneath her, had actually recovered from her fall, and was tricking Lightningpaw. Her mentor rolled over, taking Lightningpaw by surprise and squashing her. The breath was knocked from Lightningpaw as she was squashed. "That's enough," Sunnystar's approving mew sounded from the opposite side of the glade. Lightningpaw's mentor's weight was lifted off her as Russetleaf got to her paws. Lightningpaw sprang to her paws the moment Russetleaf got off. Why did Sunnystar just have to see her when she was being squashed? If only she had appeared when Lightningpaw had been clawing Russetleaf. Sunnystar's brown coat shone almost golden in the bright sunlight, and her clear green eyes reflected the sun. Lightningpaw dipped her head respectfully to the LeafClan leader. Sunnystar nodded. "It's time for me to test you on the warrior code. Russetleaf, take the mouse back to camp." Russetleaf dipped her head and picked up the mouse. Russetleaf padded away, the trees swallowing her up as she entered the forest. Sunnystar sat down and curled her tail around her paws. "Sit," she mewed, gesturing with her tail for Lightningpaw to sit. Lightningpaw sat back on her haunches, excitement welling up in her chest. "True or false, if your leader tells you to do something, you must do it unless you have a better idea." Sunnystar meowed. "Well, leader's word is law, yet if you had what you thought was a better idea, you could share it with the leader though, right?" Lightningpaw half-answered half-asked. Sunnystar nodded. "I was looking mostly for false, but I guess your answer was ok, too. True or false, you can kill in battle if you must?" Sunnystar asked. "True," Lightningpaw answered immediately. Sunnystar nodded. "Last question: if a kit from another Clan attacks you and it actually hurts, and you're actually getting wounds, you can fight back." Lightningpaw thought for a moment. Surely it was wrong to harm kits? But if you could actually feel pain, and if you were getting wounds from it, surely you had to fight back? "True," Lightningpaw finally answered. "The answer is true, so you got it correct." Sunnystar meowed with a nod. "Pick up that vole of yours and head back to camp," she ordered. Lightningpaw nodded and clamped her jaws over the plump vole. When they got to the camp, Lightningpaw quickly dropped the vole on the fresh-kill pile, eager to see if Snowpaw had passed her assessment. Her mouse was already there. "Did you catch this?" Snowpaw asked, padding up to Lightningpaw and flicking her friend's ear. Lightningpaw and Snowpaw had become good friends after the battle with DarkClan. Lightningpaw nodded. "H-" her mew was cut short as Sunnystar let out a yowl. "Clan meeting! Gather below Jaggedrock," (It's how LeafClan summons the Clan for Clan meetings, and Jaggedrock is the Highrock, or maybe you know it as Highledge already.) Lightningpaw followed Snowpaw as she hurried over to the rock and sat down. "How did your assessment go? I think Boltfur (Snowpaw's mentor,) was happy with mine, and Ambertail (Darkpaw's mentor) seemed pretty happy with Darkpaw. I'm not too sure about Darkflower and Cutepaw, (Cutepaw was in the roleplay I did, and I know there are a lot of Darksomethings in this story but that's how the roleplay I did was) though." Snowpaw whispered in Lightningpaw's ear. Lightningpaw just shrugged and turned her attention towards Sunnystar. "Lightningpaw, Snowpaw, and Darkpaw, stand up." Darkpaw, Lightningpaw, and Snowpaw got to their paws. There was a miserable whimper in the corner. Lightningpaw turned her head to see who had whimpered, and wasn't very surprised when she saw Cutepaw sitting in the corner with Darkflower, shoulders hunched. _She failed?_ Lightningpaw wondered. "I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down at these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors. Lightningpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clanmates, even at the cost of your life?" Sunnystar's voice cut into Lightningpaw's thoughts. Without hesitating, Lightningpaw yowled, "I do!" Sunnystar flicked her tail. "Then with the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day on, you shall be known as Lightningfur. We honor your persistance and courage." Lightningfur felt strength flow through every muscle at these words, she felt ready to fight every battle twice, double the fresh-kill pile to twice its size, all for her new Clan. Sunnystar touched her nose to Lightningfur's forehead, and Lightningfur licked her leader's shoulder in return. "Snowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clanmates, even at the cost of your life?" "Of course I do!" Snowpaw exclaimed. "Then with the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day on you shall be known as Snowfall (I know snowfall is actually a thing, but it sounds good to me. :3) We honor your bravery and loyalty." Sunnystar touched Snowfall's forehead with her muzzle, and got a lick in return. Snowfall, practically bouncing on her paws, bounced over to Lightningfur, who was now standing in the bottom right corner of the rock, where she had seen Iceclaw stand after her naming. "Darkpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clanmates, even at the cost of your life?" Sunnystar asked. "Yes," Darkpaw meowed calmly. _He's about to be a warrior, how can he be so calm? _Lightningpaw wondered silently. "Then with the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day forward, you shall be known as Darkfang." Again, Sunnystar touched Darkfang's forehead with her muzzle, and Darkfang licked her shoulder in return. "Snowfall, Lightningfur, Darkfang!" the cats below yowled.

_The vigil…_

Lightningfur and Snowfall sat side by side, Darkfang on the other side of Snowfall. Rain pattered on the forest floor, and Lightningfur's pelt was already plastered to her body, and was chilled to the bone. Brambles rustled. Alarmed, Lightningfur whipped around. She scented the air. She was sure she recognized the scents, but it was mostly hidden beneath a blanket of fern scent, so she couldn't tell. Snowfall tensed beside her. "Is there somebody there?" she hissed in Lightningfur's ear. "Not sure," Lightningfur muttered back. Darkfang was on his paws, scanning the area with narrowed amber eyes. "Nothing," he growled, sitting back down. "I'll go check it out," Lightningfur murmured, signaling Snowfall and Darkfang to stay where they were. Lightningfur padded cautiously over to the patch of brambles where the sound had been heard. She could see green, blue, and hazel eyes gleaming at her. Startled, Lightningfur doubled back. "Lightningpaw!" was that… Seapaw's voice? Could it be? Lightningfur, not even caring that Seapaw had called her Lightning_paw, _darted behind the brambles. It was! Her former companions and friends were all there. Cheetahpaw, Seapaw, Silverpaw, Pearlpaw, and Frostpaw, yet they were much bigger and stronger looking than before. "Is it really you?" Lightningfur whispered. "Who's there?" it was Snowfall's voice. Lightningfur beckoned to her former companions with a flick of her tail. Slowly they got to their paws. "Do you know these cats?" Darkfang asked, padding up to join them. "Yes, remember when I said my Clan was destroyed? Well, after it was destroyed, I met these five. We've traveled together since then. The night I first appeared in the LeafClan camp was the first time I had ever been away from them." Lightningfur explained. Darkfang dipped his head. "I'm Darkfang, nice to meet you," "I'm honored to meet the friends of Lightningfur," Snowfall mewed next. "Lightningfur, Snowfall, Darkfang? Is there something wrong?" Russetleaf and Ambertail slid out from the shadows of the warrior's den, Boltfur at their tails. Boltfur's golden tabby fur gleamed in the moonlight, while Ambertail and Russetleaf's smaller, leaner figures looked like rabbits beside the massive golden tom. Their fur bristled as they saw Pearlpaw, Seapaw, Cheetahpaw, Frostpaw, and Silverpaw. "Intruders! Have you warned Sunnystar?" hissed Boltfur. "We're not intruders," Frostpaw meowed calmly. "I'm from SnowClan." Frostpaw meowed. "We are in IceClan," Silverpaw mewed, flicking her tail towards Cheetahpaw. "I'm from DarkClan, and so is she," Seapaw announced, gesturing towards Pearlpaw. "DarkClan are no longer our allies!" Ambertail hissed. Lightningfur was puzzled. She hadn't seen Seapaw or Pearlpaw in battle. As if she had read her thoughts, Pearlpaw whispered in her ear, "We saw you, but we managed to stay clear of you, and make sure you didn't notice us." Lightningfur understood. "Whatever Clan you are from, we're taking you to Sunnystar." Russetleaf growled, her eyes flickering from one cat to another. Suddenly, a yowl ripped the air. "My kits! They're gone! My kits! Somebody save my kits!" It was Appledawn, a cream-furred she-cat with pale green eyes. Boltfur rushed towards his mate, his blue eyes glimmering with worry. He pressed against a trembling Appledawn, trying to comfort her. Sunnystar probably had been woken by Appledawn's desperate yowls, because she was on Jaggedrock in a heartbeat. "LeafClan cats, gather beneath the Jaggedrock (no capitalized r) for a Clan meeting!" Sunnystar called. Warriors, apprentices, queens, kits, and even elders filed out of the bramble and fern dens, eyes clouded with sleep. Heartpelt, the medicine cat, poked her head through the entrance to the medicine cave, her apprentice Nightpaw behind her. "It appears that Appledawn's kits are missing, and I will send a rescue patrol." Sunnystar began, then her eyes flickered towards Lightningfur. "Lightningfur, Snowfall, and Darkfang seem to have found something, too." She meowed, gesturing to Lightningfur with a flick of her tail. "Get up," Lightningfur hissed to her former companions, who were huddled together behind the brambles, trying to hide themselves from what seemed like hostile LeafClan cats. Her friends stood up. "We are friends of Lightningpaw's, we traveled with her when we lost our Clans." Cheetahpaw announced boldly, scanning the LeafClan cats through slitted eyes. "For your information, Cheetahpaw, its Lightning_fur _now," Lightningfur muttered to her through the side of her mouth. "I mean, Lightningfur, and I'm Cheetah_claw _(all names are pretty much based on the role-play.) now," Cheetahpaw replied quietly, so no other cat heard. Sunnystar nodded curtly, then yowled, "Lightningfur and Boltfur will go search for the kits. Clan dismissed." As Sunnystar dismissed the anxious Clan, Lightningfur padded up to her leader. "Yes, Lightningfur? Do you have a question?" Sunnystar asked, noticing Lightningfur. "May my friends come with me? We have some… umm… unfinished work. When we find the kits, Boltfur can bring them back to the Clan, but I would like to complete an unfinished quest with my companions." Lightningfur muttered, not meeting Sunnystar's green gaze directly. Sunnystar blinked. "Of course," she mewed after a moment of hesitation. Lightningfur turned to leave, and padded over to her friends, who were waiting with Boltfur. "Sunnystar says you guys can come, and when we find the kits, Boltfur will return to the Clan with them." Lightningfur explained. "Ok," the cats chorused. They headed into the forest. The air was fresh from the rain, which had stopped by then. The rain-soaked leaves dripped onto the forest floor, and Lightningfur winced each time a cold droplet of rain pierced her fur. "So… how's life in SnowClan, Frostpaw?" Lightningfur finally asked. "It's Frost_tail _(changed that name because she wanted to be Frostfur, but I don't approve of copying the books that much, unless it's supposed to be the same exact cat.)" the pale she-cat answered. "And life in SnowClan is fine." "Before you call me Pearlpaw, I'm Pearlnose now, (oh come on, I couldn't think of better names. If you have any suggestions for a better name, leave a review.) Silverpaw is Silvercloud now, Seapaw is Seaheart now, and as you already know, Cheetahpaw is Cheetahclaw." Pearlnose added. "And I'm Lightningfur!" Lightningfur announced, mock-importantly. "Hush, I can hear something," Boltfur breathed. Lightningfur tasted the air; beside her, Silvercloud did the same. It was LeafClan scent, alright. And it was fresh. "It's Ravenkit… Dawnkit, and Blazekit!" Boltfur exclaimed, rushing towards the scent of his kits, which grew stronger and stronger every paw-step. Lightningfur and Cheetahclaw darted after him, Silvercloud and Frosttail at their heels, Seaheart tailing them. They ran past the DarkClan border, past the SnowClan border, and even past the IceClan border. Now they were in the Tree-cutting-place, where Twolegs cut down trees around their territory. (I tried to make it sound different then the Treecutplace.) Kit scent drifted in the damp air, and Lightningfur spotted some cream-colored fur beside a large oak tree. "Blazekit? Is that you?" Lightningfur called, recognizing the cream-colored tabby fur. Ravenkit's black head popped out next to Blazekit's tail. "Hello! Look, Blazekit, it's the new warrior Lightningfur!" he squeaked. Lightningfur padded towards them, realizing with a shiver she was out of Clan territory. "Blazekit, Ravenkit what are you doing here and where is your sister?" she demanded. "Dawnkit is over there, with Boltfur, and we wanted to explore!" Blazekit chirped; his hazel eyes were excited, not at all afraid. Lightningfur looked over to the next oak. Boltfur had Dawnkit, a pale brown tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes, dangling from his jaws. Ravenkit, a black tom with amber eyes, peered around the oak. "Are you here to take us back?" he squeaked. "Yes," Lightningfur snorted, grabbing a squealing Ravenkit by the scruff. "I could use a little help," she muttered around Ravenkit's black fur to Pearlnose, who was standing nearby, looking uncertain. She nodded quickly and picked Blazekit up, looking glad to be doing something useful. "Lightningfur, watch out!" Frosttail suddenly yowled. Lightningfur heard the tree crack, she turned, and saw a giant yellow Twoleg monster boring down on the oak behind her. Her eyes opened wide, and her paws thudded on the forest floor in her desperate escape. The mighty oak fell with a deafening creak, and Lightningfur shot out from under the tree a heartbeat before it crashed down onto the earth the place where Lightningfur had been a second before; sending dust flying. Lightningfur slowed to a halt, dropping Ravenkit beside her. "That was close!" Cheetahclaw exclaimed, rushing over to her friend. Silvercloud followed with gentle concern in her eyes. "I don't know what we'd do without you," she murmured, giving Lightningfur a friendly lick on the cheek. Pearlnose padded up to Lightningfur, Blazekit still dangling from her jaws, and Frosttail and Seaheart tailing her. "Are you ok?" Frosttail asked. "Fine," Lightningfur panted. "Maybe we should keep going until we get away from Twolegplace," Seaheart suggested. The she-cats nodded in agreement. "Let me take the kits first." Boltfur's voice sounded across the clearing. Lightningfur picked Raventkit up and dropped him at Boltfur's paws. Pearlnose padded after her and let Blazekit fall with a small thump. Lightningfur watched Boltfur pad away into the trees with the kits bouncing around his paws, then turned to her friends, making sure Boltfur was out of earshot. "I received a prophecy…" she began. Cheetahclaw's eyes stretched. "I did, too! Was it something like: _The Clans have fallen, and only the speed of Lightning and Cheetah combined can save them; but beware a dark shadow…?_" Cheetahclaw asked. "Exactly," Lightningfur meowed. _Could "Lightning" be me? And "Cheetah" might be Cheetahclaw! _Lightningfur thought. Now it all made sense; Cheetahclaw was fast, one reason for her name, besides the black splotches on her golden fur. Lightningfur ran like lightning, as Snowfall liked to say. Seaheart, Frosttail, Pearlnose, and Silvercloud stared at them in astonishment. "You shared a prophecy? That's so cool!" Seaheart exclaimed. "I wish I had one…" Pearlnose muttered. "It must have something to do with our quest." Frosttail decided. Silvercloud nodded in agreement. "Enough talk, let's hunt then move on. We can't stay in Twolegplace." Cheetahclaw meowed. "I'll find something," Lightningfur mewed, tasting the air. "Chaffinch and rabbit," Lightningfur announced, heading for the trees. She dropped to a crouch as the trees swallowed her up. Tail lifted slightly so not to brush the leaves littering the forest floor, she streaked forward towards the unsuspecting chaffinch, which was busy pecking at a worm. Making sure she was downwind, Lightningfur pushed off strongly with her hind-legs, and landed on the chaffinch's tail, stopping it from fluttering away. The chaffinch let out a screech, dropped the worm, and began thrashing madly. Lightningfur sunk her teeth into its throat before it could alert more prey. The chaffinch fell limp, dead as a dried up leaf. Lightningfur returned to her companions after catching a thrush, rabbit, and squirrel (chaffinch included). She dropped her catch down at her friend's paws, and, flanks heaving from the effort of carrying the prey back, she plopped down on her haunches. Pearlnose licked her whiskers as she saw the thrush. "The rabbit is plump enough that we can split it between two of us, and the chaffinch, squirrel, and thrush are enough for the rest of us." Frosttail announced. Lightningfur unsheathed a claw, slicing the rabbit in half in a single slash. "I call the head," Lightningfur meowed. "Then I'll take the legs," Silvercloud mewed. "I get the thrush!" Pearlnose announced. Frosttail twitched her whiskers in amusement. "You sure have an appetite for thrush." She purred, taking the squirrel for herself. "I guess I'm stuck with chaffinch," Seaheart sighed, biting into the bird. After the hasty meal, the cats continued, leaving the roaring Twoleg monsters behind them. "Where are we supposed to go, anyway?" Cheetahclaw asked. "I have no idea." Frosttail muttered, flicking her littermate's ear with her tail. Rolling her eyes, Seaheart meowed, "Why don't we rest tonight and decide tomorrow? I'm exhausted." "Fine with me," Pearlnose snorted, licking a raw pad. "What if it rains?" Lightningfur demanded. "I'm tired enough to sleep through it, for all I know!" Silvercloud purred. "I'll get moss; you guys make some kind of den. Silvercloud may be tired enough to sleep through rain, but I'm certainly not!" Cheetahclaw declared, darting off. "We're beyong Clan territory, how are we going to find our way around?" Seaheart murmured. No cat replied, since no cat knew. "She's right, what _will _we do?" Silvercloud demanded. "Let's hope StarClan tells us," Lightningfur sighed. "Let's make that den, now." Frosttail added. They finished making a bramble den just as Cheetahclaw returned with moss. Panting in exhaustion, the cats curled up on the moss, hoping for a sign.

Lightningfur woke in StarClan, several of the starry warriors surrounding her. "Welcome, Lightningfur," Lightningfur recognized with a fresh wave of grief, Lionstar, Squirrelstar, and two toms she didn't recognize. One was a dark brown tabby tom with broad shoulders and penetrating amber eyes, and another one was a ginger tom with bright green eyes; he was even bigger than the brown tabby next to him. "I am Firestar," the ginger tom meowed. "And I am Bramblestar. I was the leader after Firestar and before Squirrelstar." Lightningfur couldn't believe her ears. Firestar, as in the cat who had saved the Clans from Tigerstar, and Bramblestar, who had been Tigerstar's son? Another cat she didn't recognize stepped up from the shadows. "I am Bluestar, leader before Firestar," the she-cat mewed, the starlight turning her blue-gray pelt silver. "Head for the hills…" the StarClan cats meowed together, their voices seeming to echo off the trees. The StarClan cats faded into the air, leaving a bewildered Lightningfur standing in the forest alone. Suddenly the ground beneath Lightningfur gave way, and she fell with a yowl into swirling blackness. She woke with a start, surprised to find herself still in one piece and curled up in the moss next to her companions. Cheetahclaw was awake, too. "I had a dream…" she golden she-cat breathed. "Me too. The previous ThunderClan leaders came to me, and said to head for the hills." Lightingfur explained. Now she was sure that she and Cheetahclaw had something to do with the prophecy. "Cloudstar, Leafstar, Sharpstar, and Cherrystar came to me." Cheetahclaw mewed. "Who are they?" Lightningfur demanded. "Previous SkyClan leaders," Cheetahclaw explained. "Well, before the wolf pack attacked, of course." She added bitterly. Lightningfur rested her tail-tip on her friend's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "We all lost our Clans somehow, but we better move on." Silvercloud's voice sounded across the den. "StarClan came to me and Lightningfur and they said to go to the hills." Cheetahclaw meowed. "Then we should go," Pearlnose decided, waking up. Frosttail stirred, then sat up with a yawn. "Once again, we better find some better way to wake Seaheart," Frosttail sighed. "I caught some prey," Cheetahclaw offered, dragging a rabbit, magpie and vole into the den. Lightningfur waved the vole expertly in front of Seaheart's muzzle, and she woke with a start. "You guys caught a vole, my favorite!" Seaheart purred after bouncing to her paws and knocking he vole out of Lightningfur's jaws. "Let's eat," the cats chorused. Lightningfur shared the rabbit with Frosttail, while Seaheart divided the vole grudgingly with Cheetahclaw, and Pearlnose and Silvercloud shared the plump magpie. "The hills are close by; we'll get there in no time." Pearlnose meowed as she finished the magpie. "We should go now, before it gets dark again," Silvercloud decided. The cats padded off towards the hills, chattering like birds. The ground stretched before them, turning into moorland, farther off, the hills were clearly visible behind the heather. They reached the hills before moonhigh, and were still as energetic as before. "Let's explore," Frosttail exclaimed. "Where do you think you're going?" a deep voice growled. The cats spun around, and Lightningfur though she had seen the tortoiseshell and black tom standing in their way. _Snaketooth, _Lightntingfur though. _Impossible! All of ThunderClan was killed besides me! How is he alive? _Then Lightningfur remembered. Snaketooth was the one cat she hadn't seen lying dead on the ground. "There weren't any scent markers," Cheetahclaw pointed out with a flick of her tail. Twitching her whiskers in annoyance, Seaheart added, "It's not like you can drive us out, anyway." Lightningfur raised her tail, warning her companions to keep their mouths shut. "Keep your fur on, this is Snaketooth. He is from ThunderClan."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: A Dark Shadow

**Author's Note: Sorry guys. I messed up in a LOT of parts, but I'm a beginner… Please no hate! I have also made up with a new name for Pearlnose, thanks to my friend. Pearlheart will be her new name, but since I already have Seaheart, I'm changing Seaheart's name to Seaflower**

All five of her companions turned to Lightningfur. "We thought… You said… Every cat besides you died?!" they exclaimed, sounding more puzzled than angry she had lied. But Lightningfur hadn't lied, she hadn't even _noticed_. "I didn't lie or anything," she began, reading her friends minds. "I never noticed Snaketooth, but I was buried in my own grief! You expect me to notice one cat I hardly even know, when the cats closest to me are lying dead around me?" Lightningfur asked. "No… We just thought… Well, I guess not, then." Cheetahclaw and Frosttail muttered together. "Long time no see, Lightningkit." Snaketooth's deep voice, so low it almost always sounded like a growl, sounded behind them. "It's Lightningfur, now, if you don't mind." Seaflower snarled, clearly not trusting the tortoiseshell tom. "Ok, ok." Snaketooth replied calmly, holding a paw in the air. "Have… Have you become a loner?" Lightningfur asked him. "No. I've become a rogue. Shadow, Night, Blossom, you can come out now." Snaketooth called. Instantly, a dark ginger tom with hazel eyes, a dark cream she-cat with yellow eyes, and a tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes slid out of the trees that laced the moor. Snaketooth's slit-like dark yellow-green eyes flashed as his rogue friends padded over and flanked him. "This is Night," Snaketooth explained, gesturing with his tail towards the dark cream she-cat. Night's yellow eyes were gleaming with interest, and she dipped her head to the Clan cats. "This is Flame. He's pretty much the deputy." Snaketooth introduced, flicking his ears at the dark ginger tom. Shadow nodded to the Clan cats. Finally, Snaketooth twitched his whiskers towards the tortoiseshell she-cat that Lightningfur guessed was Blossom. "This is Blossom. She's the leader." Blossom dipped her head, whiskers brushing the ground. "They're quite polite for rogues," Lightningfur whispered to Frosttail, who nodded in agreement. Cheetahclaw stepped up. "Can we go now?" she asked irritably. "No." answered Snaketooth in a flat, threatening voice. "Why?" Lightningfur demanded, her fur beginning to bristle. "You must leave. We live here, nobody else." Snaketooth snarled. "You used to belong to a Clan. You could get used to more company again." Seaflower pointed out. "I never liked Clan life. Not even Olivebreeze could change that." He retorted, green eyes blazing with anger. _Olivebreeze… She was my kin, Lilyheart's sister and Snaketooth's mate. Surely it shouldn't be that hard to adapt to Clan life? _Lightningfur wondered. Pearlheart's furious growl interrupted her thoughts. "You sure you want to fight us? You're hardly in any shape to fight!" Pearlheart was right; Snaketooth, Blossom, Flame, and Night were all skinny, but though their fur was matted and hanging from their bony frames, powerful muscles flexed beneath. The Clan cats were skinny, too, though. It had been a hard leaf-fall, and now, even worse, it was leaf-bare. "You aren't very well fed yourselves," Snaketooth countered. "We're as ready as you to fight for this land, and we will win if we must." Flame snarled, taking a step back to flank Snaketooth. "Wait," Blossom ordered, holding her tail up to signal to her rogues. "Wait, wait for what, Blossom? These cats have proved they don't care about our needs for this land." Flame seethed. "I am your leader. I have the authority to strip away your deputyship if you speak so rudely again!" Blossom meowed in a quiet voice. "We were sent by StarClan!" Cheetahclaw spat. "StarClan, StarClan? You believe in those worthless dead cats? They couldn't stop the Twolegs, could they? That has proved them worthless!" Snaketooth growled, though there was just the tiniest hint of regret in his voice. "Worthless?" Lightningfur gasped. "How is StarClan worthless? They couldn't have stopped the Twolegs either way! You're the mangy hairball around here!" Pearlheart hissed, fur bristling. "StarClan have helped us through many hardships, but even they are powerless to stop Twolegs." Silvercloud's calm voice sounded behind Lightningfur. Silvercloud hadn't spoken for a while, and Lightningfur almost forgot she was there. With a shriek of fury, Snaketooth hurled himself at Silvercloud. They tumbled away in a shrieking ball of fur and claws. Flame darted after Snaketooth, but Seaflower stopped him. "Stop this nonsense! You're fighting over a moor, for goodness sakes!" Blossom yowled. The she-cat hung back, looking uncertain. "We can handle this ourselves," Lightningfur mewed, nodding her head in respect towards the noble she-cat. _Some cats have a sense of humor, some don't. _Lightningfur thought, then she charged into Flame, who was wrestling with Seaflower. She caught Flame off balance, sending him tumbling over the hills. Flame rolled and rolled, then came to a halt. He leaped to his paws and slithered back to them, swift as a snake. Cheetahclaw was ready, however, and met Flame with a heavy blow to his forehead. "We're going to help Silvercloud, you, Pearlheart, and Seaflower fight Flame." Cheetahclaw meowed to her sister, Frosttail. With a swift nod, Frosttail threw herself into the fray. Pearlheart and Seaflower were in a furious tussle with Flame and Night, who had joined in after an uncertain glance between the Clan cats and her rogue friends. Night was noble, but her unwavering loyalty had stopped her from hanging back. _That loyalty would be perfect for a Clan, _Lightningfur thought, and then followed Cheetahclaw. Snaketooth was clawing Silvercloud's flank, while the smaller she-cat thrashed desperately underneath the large tom. With a yowl of fury, Cheetahclaw and Lightningfur launched themselves at Snaketooth, who rolled of Silvercloud in surprise. The three she-cats lunged at him, screeching defiance. Lightningfur slid under Snaketooth and gave him several quick nips to his legs, unbalancing him and giving Silvercloud a chance to pounce. "Watch out!" Lightningfur gasped as she darted out from under Snaketooth, jumped onto his exposed belly, and, using Snaketooth's belly as a launching pad, she leaped. She landed forepaws first on the tortoiseshell tom's belly. She earned a gasp of pain from Snaketooth, whose eyes opened wide. Lightningfur leaped off, this time using his face as a launching pad, to allow Cheetahclaw to deal several blows to his belly. Snaketooth, flanks heaving, reared on his hind-legs and came smashing down on Silvercloud's back. Silvercloud writhed underneath him, but could not escape. Lightningfur and Cheetahclaw flew at Snaketooth, but were not fast enough. Quick as a flash of light, Snaketooth slashed his claws across Silvercloud's throat, and leaped away. "No, Silvercloud!" Cheetahclaw and Lightningfur yowled together. "Grieve, just grieve." Snaketooth chuckled, padding away. "Silvercloud, what herbs do we use?" Lightningfur asked desperately. "No time…" Silvercloud murmured. "No! There is always time! Don't leave us!" Cheetahclaw wailed. "This is goodbye… tell Frosttail and Pearlheart they were the best friends a cat could have. Tell Seaflower thank you… and…" Silvercloud's rasp trailed away, her eyes glazed, and time seemed to slow down as her eyes closed for the last time. The shrieking cats behind them seemed to fade away, and Lightningfur tried desperately to persuade herself that her friend wasn't dead. But deep down, she knew she would never see Silvercloud's beautiful silver fur again, and she would never see those deep blue eyes staring back at her. Silvercloud was gone. _ StarClan, how can you take all these cats away from me? What have I done besides believe in you? _Lightningfur wailed silently to her warrior ancestors. As if a reply, rain began to spatter the ground with silver droplets. The rain pelted onto Silvercloud's fatal wound, washing away the blood that was pooling around it. _How could a loyal Clan cat such as Snaketooth turn into such a bloodthirsty monster? For Silvercloud, I will avenge her death with all the rest of my strength. Her death will not be for nothing. _She decided. Gathering the last of her strength, which had been drained as her friend died at her paws, and felt hunger for Snaketooth's blood, to taste it, salty, on her tongue. She wanted more than anything for him to die at her paws, helpless. _Don't wish such things, young one. But you are destined, along with one other, to end Snaketooth's existence in the forest. _Alarm filled Lightningfur down to the tip of her tail as she heard Silvercloud's voice, not at all the low rasp it was in her dying moments. _Thank you, for all you have done. I am in StarClan now. _Silvercloud's sweet voice echoed inside Lightningfur's mind. "Silvercloud… She told me she was in StarClan. And that we're destined…" Lightningfur began to Cheetahclaw, but stopped. The two she-cats exchanged a glance, one that said more than they could say in words. With a screech of fury, and hatred, the two she-cats flew at Snaketooth, who apparently heard and was now swerving through the moor, desperately trying to escape the furious cats. They were gaining on Snaketooth, but out of nowhere, with a yowl of anger, Flame hurled himself at Cheetahclaw. But Frosttail, Pearlheart, and Seaflower had caught up to them, and they flung themselves at the ginger tom, meeting him with a screech. Night leaped into the knot of screeching cats, only to be batted away. The cream-colored she-cat got back to her paws, and leaped once more into the tussle. Lightningfur turned her attention back towards Snaketooth, and realized that she and Cheetahclaw were close enough to leap. Bunching her muscles, Lightningfur pushed off with her hind-paws, and she flew towards Snaketooth in a flying leap. She landed on her former Clan mates head, causing him to spit out dirt as she shoved his face into the grass. Snaketooth gave a heave, and Lightningfur tumbled off, landing on her side. Snaketooth's weight crushed her, and she began to panic as she felt his hot breath over her neck. She pushed the panic to the back of her mind, and rolled over, squashing Snaketooth. Powerful hind paws batted her flank, and she was flung off. She twisted in midair, let herself land on her paws, then leaped towards the tom again. Cheetahclaw was facing him already, but even though the two she-cats were strong, Snaketooth was stronger. He batted Cheetahclaw away as though she were a fly, and met Lightningfur with a flurry of blows. Lightningfur remembered: _The speed of Lightning and Cheetah combined… _That was it! Lightningfur began to focus on speed, not strength, and Cheetahclaw instantly understood as she watched her friend dodge the blows, dart around and give quick nips and swipes to the tortoiseshell. Together, Cheetahclaw and Lightningfur doubled back, then charged at Snaketooth with all the speed they contained in their muscles. Snaketooth tried to dodge, but was too slow. _We may depend on our speed, but he depends on his strength, while we still have some power in our blows. _Lightningfur thought, then she and Cheetahclaw matched each other, blow for blow, and began beating Snaketooth farther and farther across the moor. Then they hurled themselves at him, and he yowled with agony as they clawed him, making sure they dug their claws deep into his tortoiseshell pelt. They rolled over in a ball of shrieking, claws, teeth, and fur. Lightningfur felt Snaketooth's jaws close around her hind paw, and kicked, hard, satisfaction filling her to the tips of her whiskers as her paw made contact with his jaw. She twisted, pinned Snaketooth down, hardly wincing as his claws scored her spine. She and Cheetahclaw slashed their claws across his throat, ending his existence the same way he had ended Silvercloud's. As he died at their paws, Lighntingfur felt a trickle of guilt. _You don't have to kill to secure victory. But Snaketooth was nearly as bad as Tigerstar himself. And we were _destined _to do it. Surely that has enough reason in itself? _She wondered. Little did she know that they would have to face Snaketooth once more, like the way Firestar had with Tigerstar, even though the massive brown tabby was already in the Dark Forest. A screech of horror sounded behind Lightningfur. Surprised, she turned, and saw Frosttail, Seaflower and Pearlheart bending over Silvercloud. "What happened?" Seaflower gasped as Cheetahclaw padded over and touched her muzzle to her head. "Silvercloud died," Lightningfur murmured, resting her tail on Pearlheart's shaking shoulder. She had not forgotten Silvercloud's message. "Silvercloud said in her dying moments… That she couldn't have had better friends than Frosttail and Pearlheart. And she said thank you to Seaflower. She died before she could carry on; she died fighting, just like a true warrior." Lightningfur growled, trying not to let her voice falter. A hiss sounded behind them. "And where do you think you're going?"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Remake of the ThunderClan's death scene

**A.N: Since chapter 5, the one where ThunderClan is destroyed, was terrible, I've been thinking it over, and so I'm making it again. But I'm starting from the destruction, not the very beginning of the chapter.**

Lilyheart's ears perked, Lightningkit noticed, and cocked her head sideways in confusion. "Mama, what's wrong?" she squeaked. Lilyheart didn't reply. "Twolegs!" she suddenly screeched, picking Lightningkit and Featherkit up and racing towards the border of the camp. She dropped the two kits behind a boulder, and went to go get Bubblekit. "Why is every cat panicking?" Featherkit asked. "Maybe there's an ant in Bubblekit's nest." Featherkit mewled, rolled her eyes. "Then why is every cat panicking?" Lightningkit pondered, thinking logically. Featherkit shrugged. "Who knows?" "Incoming!" Bubblekit's excited yowl sounded above them, gray fur flashed, and soon the three kits were tumbling around. The ball of fur came to a halt, and Lightningkit bounded back to the boulder, and peering around. Paws kneaded her head; Bubblekit was on top of her, forepaws resting on the rock, hind paws resting on her forehead. The paws left her head as Bubblekit scrambled all the way to the top. Lightningkit just noticed the rumbling in the ground, scattering fallen leaves and pebbles all around the earth. "What is it?" Featherkit squealed, squirming around to get a better view. "Twolegs, and their acrid monsters!" Lionstar snarled. His deputy, Stormleaf, also Lightningkit's father, made way to flee, as did the rest of the cats. "Help the elders! Are all the kits safe?" Stormleaf yowled. "The kits are safe." Lilyheart told him. The cream-colored tabby had went back to her Clan mates after making sure her kits were safe, probably to go help elders. Suddenly, the rumbling grew louder, and three giant monsters rolled to a halt on huge black paws. What Lightningkit guessed were Twolegs emerged from the creature's belly, carrying something that looked like a long, shiny stone stick with a fat brown tail. (Hunting guns, for those of you who haven't yet realized -_-) Lightningkit squeezed herself between Featherkit and Bubblekit, fear engulfing her. The pink creature's that were Twolegs were… scary. They also had a strange smell to them. "Help Thornclaw and Spiderleg get out of the camp!" Stormleaf hollered. Lilyheart rushed to Thornclaw and grabbed the frail elder by the scruff, who was complaining: "Wha… wha? Stop it youngster! I can help meself!" Silverstorm hurried to help Lilyheart, when a strange, loud sound filled the air. Something that looked like a silver stone came flying out of a Twoleg stick, and suddenly Silverstorm was writhing on the ground, groaning. Flametail rushed to his mate, covering a bleeding wound on her chest with licks. She heaved a great gasp, then fell still. "No… No!" Flametail wailed. He nuzzled her shoulder, trying in vain to wake her. The ThunderClan cats screeched and yowled in terror as chaos blanketed the camp. Lightningkit could hardly bear to watch. The loud noises continued as the Twoleg's ran around, scattering the cats. Several cats -Lionstar, Cinderheart, Leafpool, Olivebreeze, and Stormleaf- were lying on the ground, blood pooling around them. Bubblekit gave a wail of dismay at the sight of their father, and a sob shook Lightningkit's shoulders. Featehrkit flattened her ears, and grief and terror clouded her gaze. "Come on, Lilyheart! You can get out safely!" Lightningkit chanted. What would they do without her? But soon, Lightningkit knew, they would find out. Lilyheart was trembling from nose to tail-tip, but was running towards the kits, Thornclaw still held in her jaws. The noise sounded again, twice. Lightningkit's heart thumped in her chest, hoping it had not been the Twoleg's. But it had been; because a moment later Lilyheart was sprawled on the earth, blood pooling around her neck. Thornclaw was, too. His belly was bleeding heavily. _Oh, if only she hadn't stopped to grieve for Stormleaf and Olivebreeze! _Lightningkit scanned the clearing, trying to keep a tough look on. But it was difficult when her Clan was dying before her eyes, and she could do nothing. It was hide or be killed, and nobody had made it out soon enough besides the kits. Duskpaw and Maplepaw were struck down, as well as Spiderleg, whom they had been helping. _Wait… There's a cat missing! Darkstorm…? No. He's lying with Crystalnose. Snaketooth! That's it! Olivebreeze's mate; could he have made it out alive as well? _The thought struck Lightningkit. She cleared it away, noticing the Twolegs were leaving. She made to check on her Clan mates, but she noticed something… long and brown, but there were… flames! A stick alighted with fire had been thrown into the camp along with several others. "Oh, no…" Lightningkit murmured. The last of the camp, meaning the dens and the fresh-kill, was all burned. "Stormleaf, Lilyheart!" Featherkit and Bubblekit wailed, throwing themselves into the steadily growing flames. "No! Wait, the fire's still burning!" Lightningkit called after them. She leapt after her littermates, grabbing Bubblekit by the scruff and stepping on Featherkit's tail. But it wasn't enough; they were dragging her towards the growing flames. The flames seemed to lick at her fur, scorching her pelt. Finally, Featherkit's tail slid out from under her paw, and Bubblekit's scruff teared away from her jaws. Her tail trembled as she watched them disappear into the flames, barely noticing they were almost surrounding her, and closing in. No, she wouldn't leave until she _knew _they made it out alive. Two thuds. "Oh, no…" she moaned, but stiffly padded out of the fire, her paws burning from the flames she stepped on. Luckily, the flames had barely managed to reach her, leaving only a tiny wall for her to cross. She wailed to the sky, and as if a reply, rain began to pour into the camp, drench the fire and scattering the debris that had not been completely burned. Lightningkit felt a lump rise in her throat. _I could have helped. I could have prevented Featherkit and Bubblekit's deaths. But of course I didn't; what kind of warrior am I? I'm still a kit, but I did nothing. _Grief choked her for a moment, and she tried to push the pain away. Finally noticing the burns, she began licking at the worst of them. She would not leave until she was sure that there was no hope left. As the fire died, she padded into the remains of the camp. She spotted Lilyheart, jaws half closed around Thornclaw's scruff, Stormleaf, whose eyes were lit with terror, but his head held high as if struggling to stay strong for the Clan. But that was what he did. Lightningkit suddenly had a strange feeling gnawing at her heart: hunger for revenge. She suddenly wanted it more than anything, besides the wanting for her Clan mates to come back, since she knew that would never happen. She scanned the ruins of the camp, and then spotted a shiny disk-like thing lying next to two long gouges in the earth left by the monster's huge black paws. She sniffed, recognizing the stench of Twoleg. The disk was silver with a taint of not only Twoleg stench, but also a sourer one. Shrugging, Lightningkit slid her paw under it and brought it up to her muzzle. She then tucked it behind her ear, which had a tuft of strangely fluffy fur. Her grief had not been forgotten, though. And she wasn't over with her "grieving ritual" either. She wailed to the sky, only to be answered with a flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder. Lightningkit sank to her knees (you know what I mean…) and a sob shook her shoulders; eyes glistening, she tucked her paws underneath her belly and slept. Her dreams were haunted by the terrible scene, and she woke, trembling. The milky light of dawn was just beginning to seep through the tall oaks, and she stretched, then set off. She trudged through the sodden and damp leaves and branches, barely noticing a mouse skittering across the earth, only to be startled away as Lightningkit trod on a twig. She hissed as thorns and brambles ripped at her pelt, some striking her recent burns. She ignored it and carried on, wanting to be away from the camp, which was only a reminder of her loneliness, coldness, and hunger. She didn't know how to hunt, although Maplepaw and Duskpaw attempted to show her once. She spotted some nuts and berries scattered across the undergrowth, and ate what she could. Leafpool had begun showing all the kits that were at least one moon what deathberries were, and the ones that were edible. Tired to the bone that night, she slid into a dark and worrisome sleep.

END OF REMAKE SINCE I ONLY DID THE DESTRUCTION PART OF THE CHAPTER.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: The Hardships Begin**

Flame's voice startled the she-cats, and they whipped around. "So long as I'm here, you're not going anywhere. You murdered Snaketooth; and you will pay with your own lives," he snarled, bearing his teeth.

"Flame, enough is enough; these cats must complete a quest. They had enough reason to kill Snaketooth. I never trusted that tom. He had a dangerous past, and he was ready to murder to make it what he thought was right." Blossom growled. Night flanked her, and nodded.

"If you won't fight beside me, then you will die as well!" he yowled.

(Copying Lion King 2: Simba's Pride.)

"Do you really think you can take on all of us?" Lightningfur mewed quietly.

"Yes, you all are just a group of stupid cowards! Especially you!" Flame rounded on Blossom. "You wouldn't fight with us; instead you stood there watching while Snaketooth died!"

"She was torn!" Cheetahclaw protested.

Flame hissed, fur spiking, and unsheathed his claws. He looked ready to jump into battle. But all the cats besides Blossom were bleeding; Frosttail had a long scratch along her flank, and a clump of fur was missing underneath her eyes and on her tail. Seaflower's claw was torn, her eye was swollen and puffy, and she had several small scratches on her flank and spine. Cheetahclaw's ear bled, her muzzle was bleeding, and clumps of fur were missing from her legs. Lightningfur's spine was bleeding slightly, and her fur was torn on her cheeks and tail. Pearlheart had several scratches on her face, and her throat had a long scratch on it, though not deep enough to be fatal. Silvercloud of course had a torn throat, with blood still pouring out of the spot her death blow had met. Flame had several deep scratches along his flank, spine, and a long scar stretching from his cheek to his ear. His tail was mangled and bleeding, and his right eye was swollen and red. Night bore few scars, only two on her shoulder and one stretching across her tail.

"You want to pass, you have to fight me and Night," Flame threatened, anger sparking in his eyes.

"No, Flame. You're on your own." Night was glaring at Flame.

"Traitor! When I get my paws on you…" the ginger tom hissed.

"Wait. It is true that I have done nothing to help you in a struggle for your lives. Flame is the traitor; and I would like to take this chance for myself." Growled Blossom, her green eyes glittering with annoyance; and a hint of fury.

"Very well, but prepare for a slow, painful death, you kittypet!" Snarled Flame, flexing his claws.

With that insult, Blossom whirled around to face the russet tom.

"We'll see who the kittypet is!" she yowled, running full-speed at Flame.

He raised a paw, ready to bat her away, but Blossom was too fast; she darted under his legs and slid out, knocking his legs from under him as she passed. Flame instinctively fell onto his back, hoping that Blossom would be there. But the tortoiseshell she-cat was clever, and she flashed out from under Flame as soon as he fell. She darted up the nearest tree (they were at the border of the moor, and that's where the moor turns into a forest.) and leapt off a branch, slamming into Flame's chest; as he was still trying to pinpoint where she would strike, still resting on his back. _No wonder how Flame is so battered, he fights like a kittypet. _Lightningfur thought. Flame rolled over and squashed Blossom beneath him, finally doing something. Frosttail made to help, but Cheetahclaw held out her tail to stop her sister.

"This is Blossom's battle." She warned.

Lightningfur's head swiveled back to the tussle as Blossom let out a grunt. Flame had pinned her down and was about to close his jaws around her throat when Blossom gave a heave and threw him off.

"Since when was this a battle for life?" hissed Blossom, glowering at Flame.

"Since it started!" the tom yowled, dashing full-pelt towards his leader.

"You can kill me, but I'll kill you first!" Flame snarled.

Blossom growled, fur spiking. She met the deputy head-on, claws unsheathed and teeth bared. They collided, bodies smashing together. They had tumbled behind a tree so it was difficult to see the details. What Lightningfur could see was that dust was flying, along with clumps of fur and even skin. Blood spattered the nearby heather, turning the purple petals scarlet; suddenly, the dust stopped flying. Fur and skin stopped ripping. Blood dotted the grass and heather one more time before everything turned silent, only the wind whipping the treetops and plants disturbed the silence.

"Blossom, are you ok?" Pearlheart called.

"She probably won't be considering all the fur and blood," Seaflower pointed out.

"She could still be alive," the pale-furred she-cat responded.

"I'm fine. Flame chose a dark path, and it led to his death." Blossom's voice sounded across the moor. She had several minor cuts and scratches, but was okay; in her jaws she held the motionless body of Flame. "I never wanted this path for any of my rogues, nor did I ever expect to kill one of them. But he chose it." Blossom murmured.

"It is not your fault," Cheetahclaw mewed grimly.

"You will never leave this moor unless every one of you is dead!" the cats whipped around to see Snaketooth and Flame.

"But… You're _dead_!" Frosttail gasped.

"Cats in the Dark Forest or StarClan can still fight when they're dead. That's how the Great Battle was started, and how it was won," Lightningfur recalled.

"Great Battle?" Seaflower and Cheetahclaw asked together, Frosttail nodding behind them.

"It happened between the Dark Forest and ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan and WindClan. I don't suppose SkyClan or SeaClan even heard." Pearlheart meowed; she had been born in ShadowClan.

Lightningfur glanced at Snaketooth and Flame.

"You will not take more of my friends!" she hissed, hackles rising. "Silvercloud died at your mangy paws; not one more will!"

Night's yellow eyes gleamed. "I am on their side. I will not choose the same path you two did, for I am not as stupid." The dark cream she-cat half-stated half-taunted.

Snaketooth shrieked in anger and flew at the dark she-cat, pinning her to the ground. His jaws snapped at her neck, and she writhed desperately, trying to get out of his grip; Lightningfur wouldn't let more innocent cats die under his paws though, and she leaped at him, paws slamming into his flank and rolling him off Night.

"You murdered Silvercloud. Isn't that enough? If you had been decent enough to get a mate, how could you turn into a cruel rogue? What made you?" she pleaded; she didn't want to feel so guilty again.

For a moment, peace, regret, and guilt flashed across Snaketooth's gaze, but it was so quick Lightningfur thought she had imagined it.

"Twolegs. They ruined my life; so badly I knew I could never adjust to Clan life again. As for my cruelty, I had been clouded with doubt and vengeance. But now, I realize how good it feels to kill something other than prey!" he spat out the last part, and threw Lightningfur off.

She thought about what the tortoiseshell tom had said; but in that moment of distraction, Snaketooth gave a roar and pinned her down. Lightningfur's mind snapped back to reality and she unsheathed her claws, pummeling his belly. He bellowed in agony, and she kicked him off easily. Flame was yet again tussling with Pearlheart and Seaflower, while Cheetahclaw and Frosttail jumped in after them, Blossom and Night at their heels. Tortoiseshell fur flashed at the edge of her vision, and she swirled around to see Snaketoothleap into the tussle. He sent Pearlheart crashing into the heather, and took Frosttail by surprise as he slammed her into the nearest tree. Lightningfur rushed to help her friends, helping them up. But Frosttail was too dazed by the fall, and Lightningfur had to leave her to rest. She flew into the knot of fur and teeth, raking her claws over the nearest pelt that she knew didn't belong to a companion or friend. Claws slashed at her shoulders, and indistinctively she fell onto her back. There was a gasp underneath her, and she scented Snaketooth's fishy breath. _Time to finish him off once and for all. I can't believe I felt any pity for him! _Lightningfur rolled over, but pinned him down as soon as he attempted to get up. She put a paw over each of his flailing ones so he couldn't fight back, then sank her teeth into his neck. She winced as the salty tang of blood filled her mouth and nostrils, and tried not to gag. Finally, the twitching beneath her stopped. She loosened her grip, then let go completely.

"You… You murdered Snaketooth!" Flame's furious voice sounded behind.

"It's your fault you came back to fight!" Lightningfur retorted.

"You forced us!" Flame shot back.

"How did we do that?" Pearlheart demanded. Flame didn't reply.

"You caused this yourself," Seaflower snapped.

"Yes, if Snaketooth hadn't begun this fight over the moor, no deaths would've been caused." Cheetahclaw put in.

"You're not the only cat who lost someone, either, though. Snaketooth murdered Silvercloud!" Frosttail sighed. She and Pearlheart had been the closest cats to Silvercloud, since they had met her before they met Lightningfur, Seaflower, or Cheetahclaw, in Pearlheart's case; they would feel Silvercloud's death heavily.

"Isn't this enough? You murdered on of us, tried to kill Night and Blossom, ended up paying for it with your life, then Snaketooth died again after going to the Dark Forest. What makes you all so evil?" Lightningfur hissed.

"I don't care what makes them evil! For killing Silvercloud, they will pay!" Pearlheart howled, hurling herself at Flame. Quick as a snake, she bit down onto his throat; he flailed his paws, scoring a few blows, but Pearlheart didn't loosen her grasp. After watchind Flame twitch several times, she finally, blood flowing freely, let go.

"Is the prophecy fulfilled?" Cheetahclaw questioned Lightningfur.

"No. Remember: _The Clans have fallen, and only the speed of Lightning and Cheetah combined can save them, but beware a dark shadow…_" Lightningfur meowed. "It still said we had to restart the Clans. But… how? We may run fast, but how does that have anything to do with the Clans being destroyed?" she added.

"I don't know. But whatever you must do, we are with you all the way." Pearlheart meowed.

"Yes, I could never even think about being separated with Cheetahclaw for the second time. Besides when I'm in SnowClan, of course." Frosttail murmured.

"We left Silvercloud alone for that one moment… then she dies. This all my fault!" Seaflower's voice rose to a sorrowful wail.

"No, it's not. It's Snaketooth's treachery that led to her death; not our actions." Lightningfur snapped. She didn't want any of her companions blaming themselves for Silvercloud's death.

"We… we will sit a vigil for her though, won't we?" Frosttail's voice cracked.

_After Silvercloud's burial and her vigil, the friends continue on their journey with a heavy heart. All of them feel that they left a large fraction of themselves with Silvercloud's still body, a body never to stir again on its own will. But nothing lasts forever… Not even StarClan, or the Dark Forest. The cats continue on their quest… wait for chapter 11 to find out more. ~XxWarriorCatsxX_


End file.
